Recovery
by jarec
Summary: Sequel to the Joker's Wild. As Beastboy slowly comes to terms with what happened to him, a vast plot against the Titans slowly unfolds. Chapter 62: An ending, a beginning and an apology.
1. Chapter 1

JANUARY

Part 1

Beastboy's return to Titan's Tower was marked by a period of quiet rejoicing. Quiet, because no one wanted to put the green boy through too much too fast. Better to ease into it, and hold a monster party in his honor in a week or so. Instead, Starfire cooked every vegetarian dish she knew while Cyborg rented all the best games. As preparations were being made, Raven quietly led Beastboy to her room- no one quite had the courage to ask why.

Once their privacy was guaranteed, Raven planted her lips on the changelings own, and kissed him thoroughly until oxygen became an issue. Finally separating from him, she was somewhat pleased by the dazed but happy look on his face. At that point, one of her statues exploded, raining plaster across the room.

"So, I guess you missed me huh?" was all he had to say.

Instead of answering, the empath pointed at the remains of her statue. "Look at this Garfield. This is the result of my emotions going unchecked. Even with my father gone, I won't be able to…demonstrate my affection as often as either of us would like. So kissing, hugging, and so forth will be fairly rare events. I can't even guarantee handholding. As for sex…I'm not sure when I'll be ready for that; given what happened to my mother, it's a pretty frightening topic for me. I'm telling you right now- if this is a problem, then we can end this before we be-mmmph."

Beastboy, no fool, silenced her with a kiss. After a while he pulled away and calmly said "I knew all that before, Rae. I know that you can't always show your feelings- it's enough for me that you have them. And it'll make those displays of affection from you all the sweeter. And I'm not quite ready for sex either, so that works well for both of us."

Raven blushed and nodded "Well, that's settled then. Now, there's something else I want to ask you. I can sense a lot of turmoil in you- not surprising, I guess, given what that monster did to you. You should know, he made a tape of his fun. We all saw it- but we won't bring it up if you don't want us to. My question is: Are you all right?"

Beastboy was silent for a moment and then "I don't know, Rae. It's too soon to tell. I don't want to talk about this right now. It's- It's a little too soon. When I'm ready, I promise you'll be the first one to hear about it."

"All right, take as much time as you need. I can be patient" Raven said "Just remember I love you and I'm always here for you"

"Cool" the green boy said, his smile returning "Er…any chance of a, uh, demonstration of affection?"

Raven raised an eyebrow, and the corner of her mouth twitched "I suppose I can find the time"

* * *

Out in the common room, Cyborg and Robin sat on the couch picking movies for the night's entertainment. The team would be late enjoying their reunion, and that called for quality cinema.

"Godzilla?" Robin said, holding up a DVD.

"Yeah, kid's always liked those Nature's Revenge movies" Cyborg said, rooting around in a large pile of boxes "So what did the doctor say? Ooh, Ninja Clown 7!"

"No way. The last thing we need to see is a killer clown. The doctor? He said that Beastboy is having some problems. He's obsessed with hygiene, won't stop showering and washing. He's having nightmares- real screamers. Most disturbing of all, he's having trouble being alone- solitude frightens him."

Cyborg grimaced. "That ain't fair- Beastboy's one of the nicest guys I know. He doesn't deserve what happened to him. Dumb and Dumber?"

"Yeah. A good mindless comedy sounds right- try to find some others. As for fair, since when do we expect that from the world? I think the Joker is basically the universe's way of showing us that life isn't fair. Bad things happen to good people, Cy- that's why we're around. All right, we're never going to find the right movie by just shuffling around the DVDs. We need to pick a movie FIRST and then find it."

"Okay" the metal man closed his eyes and thought. "We need a movie that's lighthearted without being sappy, that's funny without involving clowns and that has a happy ending."

Robin leapt to his feet. "I got it! The Naked Gun!"

"Yeah! Perfect! Now, let's get the lovebirds out here before they make us all godparents!"

"We are already out" Raven's voice came from directly behind Cyborg "And I will remember that comment, Cyborg."

The metal man leapt about a foot into the air and spun around. Raven and Beastboy were standing behind the couch, holding hands. While they weren't visibly mussed, his sensors showed elevated heartrate and blood pressure. Deciding not to press his luck with Raven, he kept silent and prayed for something to interrupt this moment. God chose to answer.

"Friends! Our feast is prepared!" Starfire called from the dining room.

The meal was enormous- a veritable vegetarian banquet. Pasta, casserole, two kinds of soup, tofuburgers, a colossal salad and for dessert, a fresh baked strawberry pie. Starfire glowed with happiness as her friends complimented her cooking not only with words, but also with deeds. All the Titans ate well, but Beastboy was like a man possessed- he filled his plate four times, and still had room for dessert.

As they ate, the conversation turned to the city's recovery efforts. It had been almost a week since the Joker's capture, and the city was only now starting to recover. The damage he'd caused ran into the millions, and there was as yet no official body count. The trouble was in finding out how many of the many missing people had been killed by the Joker, and how many were the normal disappearances common to all large cities. The Titan's had offered their aid in the repairing the damage, but the city council had refused.

"They said that we had done enough" Robin said, as he finished the last of his pie. "And that we deserved some time off."

"Geez String Bean" Cyborg said at last, leaning back in his chair and wiping his lip "You inhaled that food! You'd think you hadn't eaten in months"

"Dude, I barely did! I mean, hospital food is seriously nasty and before that…well, let's just say the cuisine at Chez Joker was somewhat lacking" The changeling laughed, but it sounded forced, and a little nervous.

Cyborg's first instinct was to call his friend on this- if something was wrong, he wanted to know. But then he remembered how he'd felt just after his accident- and how he'd always reacted to people asking if he was all right. Better to give his buddy time. "Who's up for a movie?"

"I am! Nothing like a little cinema after a big feast!"

The teenagers ambled into the common room, made sluggish by their huge meal. They settled back and turned on the first movie. At first, everyone chuckled at the antics of the elderly 'super' cop Frank Drebben. Then chuckles turned to out and out laughter. And that's when it all went wrong.

Beastboy laughed happily at the idiotic bumbling on screen. He was back with his friends, and everyone was having a good time and laughing…laughing… suddenly it seemed to him that the tone of the laughter changed. It went from the amiable and warm laughter of his friends to the cold shrieking laughter of his nightmares. He looked to see what the problem was.

Seated to his left were Starfire and Robin, and at first he was reassured. 'Just hearing things' he thought to himself. Then, his friends began to change. Robin's face began to grow paler and paler, and his mask seemed to melt into his face. His mouth spread into a toothy smile, and kept spreading until it was almost unnaturally large. His nose became longer and more hooked, while his hair rearranged itself and turned a bright green. He gained about two feet in height, and his frame became even skinnier.

Starfire had undergone a similar transformation. Her skin faded to merely human tone, and here eyes became a bright sparkling blue. Her hair became blonde and did itself up in pigtails, while the spots over her eyes vanished. He tore his eyes away and looked to his right, hoping his new girlfriend and his best bud would be able to help him. But they had undergone the same transformations.

Copies of the Joker and Harley Quinn surrounded Beastboy.

With a scream he leapt from the couch, and shifted form before he even hit the ground. He might be a prisoner again but this time he would fight! He chose the form of a large panther, and landed in a crouch ready to spring on his tormentors. He looked up…

…and saw his friends staring at him in shock and fear. No Joker. No Harley. Just his family. He shifted back and stood up, rubbing the back of his head.

"Eh heh heh. Uh, must have dozed off for a second. Um, lets forget the movies, huh?"

"Ooookaaay" Cyborg said, a little disturbed by his friends behavior "Who's up for Super Pound Siblings?"

Beastboy took his place on the couch and tried to calm himself down. 'Just a dream, that's all. Just a dream not a hallucination because sane people don't hallucinate. I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy. Please don't let me be crazy…Please…'

Raven awkwardly took his hand in hers and whispered "It's Okay, Gar, it's okay"

Much later that night, Beastboy settled down in his room to sleep. It was funny, he supposed, how a place he'd spent so long in now seemed so alien. He felt extremely uncomfortable being by himself even here. The shadows seemed menacing, as though the Joker was just waiting to pop out and start the nightmare all over again. Ever noise sounded like approaching footsteps, and every smell seemed as rank and stale as those in the Joker's torture room.

Still, he forced himself to stay in bed. 'I'm a big boy now' he told himself 'I can't refuse to go to my bed because I'm afraid of the dark'

* * *

Cyborg had long ago rigged his systems to wake him immediately under certain circumstances. This was done because unless he was electronically revived, the machine man was totally cut off from the world during his recharge time. If, for example, someone were to be injured or the alarm were to go off, the other Titans would have no way to rouse him. Hence, the 'ultimate Wake Up Call' program, as he called it. In response to certain stimuli, his recharger would awaken him early. Among these stimuli was a knock at his door. So it was that Cyborg found himself roused from his slumber at three seventeen in the morning, by a hesitant tapping at the door.

He got up from his 'be d' and scowled at the clock. "This better be good." He growled before walking to the door and sliding it open. In the hallway stood a very disheveled and weary looking green changeling. "Hi, Cy, how're ya doing?"

"I WAS sleeping" the metal man growled "What. Do. You. Want?" He asked, and somehow made the question into a threat.

"C-Ca-Can I sleep here tonight?" the green boy asked. He was clearly ashamed to ask, and couldn't even look his best friend in the eyes as he did so.

Cyborg's mouth dropped open. He didn't know what he'd been expecting, but that hadn't been it. "Uh…why?"

"I…I can't sleep in my room. It, it's complicated but long story short I don't want to be alone." Beastboy looked like he wanted to die from embarrassment at that moment. He felt like a little kid running to mommy and daddy's bed after a nightmare.

"Okay, I won't push it. But why me?"

Beastboy gave him a pleading look. "Dude, who else is there? I can't ask Star, and Robin doesn't strike me as the 'come-on-in-make-yourself-at-home' type. As for Raven, we just got together; I can't just walk up and ask to sleep in her room! Besides, you're like my brother man. Please?"

Cyborg looked at his friend a moment, then sighed. "All right, I guess it won't hurt anything. Not like it really matters to me anyway; once I'm out nothing that happens in my room wakes me. As you already know- remember that time I woke up and SOMEONE had glued a training bra onto me?"

Beastboy chuckled weakly and entered the stark room. Changing into a cat, he climbed onto the top of one of the larger machines and curled up to sleep. Within moments, he was asleep.

Cyborg prepared his recharging station, deeply troubled by what he'd just heard.

A/N  
And we're off!

For those following my other story Legacy Of the Bat (shameless plug), the conclusion will be up soon. For those who aren't SHAME ON YOU! Go read it now!


	2. Chapter 2

JANUARY

Part 2

The next day, Robin rose at his usual time of 5:30 AM. Those who knew him might have been surprised to learn that this had nothing to do with training or with research or even with crime fighting. No, Robin simply liked to watch the sun come up. As he had once told Starfire, as a child growing up in Gotham he rarely saw the sunrise, and so he didn't take it for granted the way the others did. Sometimes Starfire would join him, and that was good. But usually he was alone, and that was good too. At times like that he liked to be alone with his thoughts.

He made his way up to the rooftop, pausing only to pour himself a cup of coffee. He reached the roof just in time to see the sun lazily make its way over the horizon, banishing the night and turning the ocean to gold. At times like this, Robin felt truly blessed to have left Gotham City. When the sun was truly up, he went back to the kitchen for a little more coffee and a look at the day's news. After that, he headed back to his room to plan the day's schedule. On his way, he was surprised to hear someone in the bathroom. From the sound of it, they were showering, and judging by the steam creeping under the door, they had been for some time. He knocked on the door.

Beastboy had risen earlier than he'd done in years. During his time with the Doom Patrol, Mento had insisted all team members be up by six for practice. He'd done it for years, but it had never stopped feeling unnatural to him- he'd always been of the firm opinion that nothing important ever happened before eight o'clock in the morning, so why bother being up? Nevertheless, some internal clock had woken him up at six sharp and refused to allow him to go back to sleep. After a few minutes of trying to return to slumber, he got up and made a beeline for the shower. He just felt so dirty.

He wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed- he'd succumbed to the timeless oblivion of hot water and soap. He reveled in the clean feeling of water running down his now heavily scarred body, and the cool sensation of soapy lather. He was torn from his reverie by a knock at the door. "Dude! Occupado!"

"Beastboy? Is that you? What on earth are you doing up at quarter to seven?"

"Quarter to seven?" the green boy yelped. Had he really been in here for forty-five minutes? 'Uh, be right out man!"

He turned off the water and put on the purple bathrobe that Starfire had given him for Christmas last year. 'Christmas…Hey, wait a minute! I never got my presents!'. He opened the bathroom door (releasing a huge cloud of steam) and found Robin standing outside the door. Without giving his leader time to say a word he said "I haven't gotten my Christmas presents!"

Robin was silent a moment then smiled. "Y'know something Beastboy? None of us did. We put Christmas on hold when you got captured and then just sort of forgot about it. In fact, the tree and the gifts are still set up in a corner of the main hall. Let's get everyone up and have a late Christmas Morning. I'll get Starfire and Cyborg, you go get Raven. She's more likely to spare your life than mine."

"Dude, she is not that scary"

"No, she's worse. Much worse. Now get moving. Titans Go!"

* * *

A pounding on the entry to her chamber awakened Starfire from a most pleasant slorvax. Yawning she glanced at her clock. It was barely seven o'clock. She got off her circular purple bed and rubbed her eyes, before taking a sip from the tall glass of Dijon mustard she kept by her bed. It was unusual for her to be awakened this early, and usually heralded a battle with the forces of evil. She floated to her door and triggered the opening mechanism. There stood Robin, who grabbed her arm and pulled her out of her chamber.

"Boyfriend Robin! What are you doing? Is there some emergency?" the princess of Tamaran was somewhat alarmed by her boyfriend's haste. In her experience, Robin rarely hurried unless lives were at stake.

"No Star! We're having a late Christmas Morning. We're going to open all our presents and sing songs and forget for a while that we're anything other than regular teenagers"

Starfire clapped her hands. She had been most disappointed when the Christmas was canceled after Beastboy's capture by the Joker and Not-Friend Harley Quinn. She had put a great deal of effort into her gifts and had been saddened when they went unopened. 'I also put much effort in the strategic placement of the Missiles Toe, taht friends Raven and Cassie might kiss friend Beastboy. Now that Friend Robin has become Boyfriend Robin, I shall make use of it myself'

Aloud she said "Glorious! I shall go and prepare a small Breaking-Of-The-Fast. It shall be ready in but a moment!" With that, the alien princess flew off towards the kitchen…forgetting for a moment that she was wearing a nightgown and that her boyfriend was right behind her.

Blushing furiously, Robin moved on to Cyborg's room.

* * *

Raven didn't dream. Or, more accurately, she wasn't allowed to dream. Dreams produced emotions, emotions a sleeper often could not control. In her case, that made dreaming far too dangerous to be allowed. Hence, she practiced certain mental and psychic exercises while awake which not only prevented her from dreaming but also provided all the benefits of REM sleep- without which she would have quickly gone mad.

So it was that the knocking at her door roused her from the near-oblivion of dreamless sleep to full wakefulness within seconds. Her room, like all the rooms in the tower, was shielded against psychic abilities- a measure implemented in part because no one wanted to disturb Raven with their dreams and in part because no one likes to know that their every thought might be heard. So she was forced to ask who was there.

"It's me, Rae" Beastboy replied "C'mon out, we're having Christmas."

"Beastboy" she answered, with a bit of annoyance tingeing her voice "It is far too late for Christmas, I'm not Christian, and it's too early for me to wake up. Come back in a half an hour."

"Aww, c'mon Rae! We have to open our presents as a family." her boyfriend pleaded and she could HEAR him putting on The Face "I wasn't here for Christmas day, most of us aren't religious, and it's not really Christmas if you aren't dragged out of bed at an ungodly hour to tear open wrapping paper. Besides, it was so hard for me to pick your gifts- I want to see your face when you open them"

Raven rolled her eyes but swung her feet out of bed. "Fine. Give me a moment to get dressed and I will join you. Wait outside."

Beastboy stood in the hallway and tried not to think about being alone. 'You're in the hall of Titan's Tower, for God's sake! What in the world can possibly get you here? Think of something else. Uh, clowns. NO! Not clowns! Uh, movies! When's the next Zombieslayer movie out?'

The door slid open, causing him to jump. Raven, now dressed in her usual leotard and cloak, gave him a curious expression but said nothing. She kissed him lightly on the cheek and slipped her arm in his. "Let's go."

Beastboy felt like he was floating the whole way.

* * *

Cyborg was just in the process of awaking- a long process as his systems warmed up and slowly nudged his organic brain into alertness. He much preferred to wake up this way; his 'Ultimate Alarm Clock' was the electronic equivalent of a bucket of water in the face. Effective, but hardly pleasant. For this reason, he was in a reasonably good mood when Robin knocked on his door. Yawning and stretching (purely out of habit) he made his way to the door.

"Hey Rob" he said "What's happening? And…are you BLUSHING?" He smiled widely.

"What? NO!!" Robin said, shaking his head vigorously "We-We're having a late Christmas downstairs, since Beastboy wasn't here for the real thing and we never opened our presents."

"Cool, Cool. Listen, Rob. I gotta tell you something, but this is confidential, okay? I mean it, this never goes beyond us, right?"

"Cyborg" Robin said slowly, frowning a bit "I'd like to think that by now you know you can trust me. What's up?"

The metal man sighed and motioned his leader into the room. Once the door was closed he resumed speaking.  
"Beastboy showed up at my door around 3 AM. Said he couldn't sleep in his room, that he didn't want to be alone. He looked really scared man, and frankly I'm worried. "

"And I found him in the shower at quarter to seven. Judging by the steam and the temperature in the bathroom, he'd been in there for at least a half hour and probably more" Robin's frown deepened "The doctors said that he was having trouble with solitude, but they never said that it affected his sleeping habits. I mean, he slept all right in the hospital and he had a private room. Maybe this was just a one time thing, y'know? He's still getting used to being back, after all."

Cyborg's body sagged slightly, as though a weight had been lifted. "Yeah, you're probably right. I was worried there; you hear stories about long term psychological damage caused by torture and, well, he was through an awful lot. Still, if he slept all right alone in the hospital he'll probably be okay. Now, I smell waffles and syrup- let's get moving"

A/N  
For all interested parties, yes the Joker will be making an appearance later in the story as will Cassie. Plus, there will be an explanation of why I chose to use Tim Drake instead of Dick Grayson.


	3. Chapter 3

The Titans Christmas tree had been a huge, dark green pine tree. It had been covered in tinsel and ornaments of a wide variety of colors and shapes, all topped off with a large golden star. It had been the ultimate Christmas tree. That had been three weeks ago. Now, the green needles were mostly brown, and several branches had simply fallen off. Broken ornaments lay where they'd fallen, and the weight of the golden star was causing the entire treetop to bend forward slightly. A thin layer of dust coated the mountain of gifts that lay beneath the dead tree, and some of these were giving off a serious odor.

Beastboy surveyed the scene and said "Dudes, no offense, but this may well be the most depressing thing I have ever seen in my entire life."

The other Titans were speechless. They had been so preoccupied with getting their friend back that they had forgotten that natural Christmas trees were basically dead trees and that eventually they decomposed. Cyborg was the first to recover himself "All right, we'll need to get this tree outta here, and do something about those presents. Rae, you and I will take the tree to the dump while Robin and Beastboy sort through the presents for what's making that stink. Starfire, we're going to need more breakfast- after this much work, waffles and juice ain't gonna cut it. Titans G-"

"Hold it! HOLD IT!" Robin cried, waving his arms "Only I get to say that! Ahem. Titans GO!"

Raven moved to the base of the tree and closed her eyes for a moment. "Azerath Metrion ZINTHOS!" Black energy encased the remaining ornaments, which were then psychokinetically removed from the tree. Focusing even more, she lifted the whole tree with her mind, and moved it downstairs to the garage. Placing it on top of the newly rebuilt T-Car, she released it, and collapsed on the ground, panting heavily.

Cyborg rushed to her side "Rae! You all right?! Say something!"

"Don't (puff) call (puff) me Rae" the empath said as she tried to get her breath back "Only Beastboy gets to do that now. And yeah, I'm all right; it's not easy lifting and maneuvering something as big and heavy as that tree."

"Well, take a rest while I strap the tree to the car roof." Putting words to deeds, Cyborg began to methodically secure the fallen forest giant to the T-Car. "hey Rae…ven. Raven. Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Technically, you mean do I mind if you ask me TWO questions. No, go ahead."

"Well, you and Cassie both fell head over heels for Beastboy, right? My question is…why? Don't get me wrong, nobody thinks more of the little grass stain then me but he's never been popular with the ladies and I'm curious as to why that suddenly changed."

Raven sighed. "We seem to fit together well; I provide the common sense, he provides the laughter. I'm book smart, he's creative. I'm yin, he's yang. We balance one another out very nicely. But more than that, he makes me feel like a woman, like a whole person. All my life, the people around me have pigeonholed me. In Azarath I was just The Portal, on Earth I'm just a superhero, and even Malchior only saw me as a sorceress. No one cared about me beyond the role they chose for me. Beastboy sees the whole person, and he's never treated me as anything else, not even when I was turning into the doorway to hell."

Cyborg sweatdropped. "Uh, Rae? I meant like physically. What attracts you to him physically?"

Raven blushed. She'd just bared her soul to someone who was only making conversation. She raised her hood and mumbled "His ears are cute…"

Cyborg reached out and lowered her hood. "Raven, we never saw you as just a superhero or whatever. We're your friends and we always have been. And as your friend I gotta ask you not to tell him you like his ears that much. We'd never hear the end of it."

Raven smirked, thinking of her boyfriends pride in his elfin ears. "Deal. Now let's get going, the sooner we leave, the sooner we come back and the sooner I get my tea."

* * *

IN the main hall of Titans Tower, Beastboy was engaged in a thorough search of the presents. He was currently in the form of a bloodhound, the better to isolate those presents containing foodstuff and other perishables. So far, he'd winnowed out five such gifts and lessened the odor in the room significantly. Robin had made a list of the spoiled presents and of their donors before sending them down the chute to the Tower incinerator.

Progress was slow, since each gift had to be examined by smell. Neither Beastboy nor Robin felt comfortable opening gifts without all of the Titan's present. As one might expect, individually analyzing the smells of nearly one hundred gifts took time- especially after Beastboy accidentally sniffed deeply of a present containing a now-broken bottle of perfume. After five minutes of sneezing, the changeling was ready to resume work. But, eventually, they succeeded in isolating the rotten food, and dumping it. Even after separating the few presents Cassie had received (the citizens hadn't really gotten to know her), they were left with seventy-seven presents.

Beastboy reverted to his normal form and stretched his back "Let me tell ya something, Rob. Spending an hour as a dog is murder on my lower back!"

Robin's eyes never left his checklist. "Hmmm… I know an exercise that can help with that. Remind me to show it to you during training."

"Will do" Beastboy peered over Robin's shoulder "So who won this year?"

Every year the Titan's had a series of competitions on Christmas mornings. Who was the first to the tree, who received the nicest gift, and so forth- the usual games all families play. One slight variation was to see who got the most presents from outside the team. The winner was dubbed Mister or Miss Popularity and in a short but solemn ceremony the next day was given a medal with #1! embossed on it.

"Lets see…you came in third with 15 presents, Starfire was second with twenty, and Cyborg was first with twenty two." Robin began moving Cassie's gifts aside to be sent to Gotham by special courier.

"WHAT?! Oh come on! The Joker kidnapped me! Where's the sympathy vote!"

"Dude" Cyborg said from the doorway "Nobody but us and the cops knew you were kidnapped until almost January. By then, Christmas was over and so nobody thought to send you gifts."

"All right" Robin said "Now that we're all here, let's open the gifts"

The next few hours passed pleasantly, as the Titans opened their presents between bites of breakfast. They began with the gifts sent by the grateful citizens of Jump City. Naturally, with almost eighty presents sent, they Titans received a fair amount of bizarre, insulting, and downright creepy gifts. One of their other Christmas traditions was comparing these; the recipient of the worst gift was allowed to choose dinner.

Cyborg's choice was a book entitled The Collected Speeches of Malcolm X. Attached was a note saying: "Maybe this will help you to stop being the white kids Stepin Fetchit.". He passed the note around and said simply "If this guy is that hung up on race that he thinks I need this, then he's the one who needs help."

"Besides" Beastboy chimed in "Only one of us here is white. Technically, the rest of us are all People of Color, suffering under the yoke of Robin's racist oppression"

"Beastboy…" Robin growled, a vein in his head throbbing.

"Shutting up."

"Friends" Starfire asked after reading the note. "Who is this Step-in Fetchit? And why should friend Cyborg not be like him? And why is Boyfriend Robin's skin color so troublesome to this person?"

Everyone stared for a moment before Cyborg put a hand on her shoulders "That's a very tough question, Starfire. I'll explain it later, as best I can. Okay, white boy, you're up. What weird and horrifying thing have the maidens of Jump City sent you this year?"

"Yes, Boyfriend Robin. Do show us what you have received." Starfire was a little anxious about this. She had never been as amused as the others when Robin received some females hair or undergarments. She was always a little worried that he might like the offering. However this year, she need not have worried.

Robin held up a box, containing a life-sized inflatable Slade doll, one which was very VERY…anatomically correct. The Titan's had always known that such dolls existed of themselves- an idea that creeped them out if they thought of it too long- so that didn't surprise them too much. The tag attached to one leg, that simply read "I know you must miss him", was what did it. He said nothing. The room erupted in laughter. Beastboy laughed so hard he lost his breath entirely, and collapsed onto Raven's lap. Raven showed no sign of her feelings apart from a very slight smile.

"Okay, we've all had a good laugh" Robin said through his clenched teeth "Let's move on. Raven? Your turn"

Raven held up what appeared to be a human thighbone carved into a flute. "I really need to change my image. And the first one to make a remark about blowing the bone goes to meet my father first hand."

Starfire had received a collection of sex-toys, including some that had all the other Titans puzzled. Yet. remarkably, she seemed to understand the purpose of all of them. She blushed heavily as she read the note "Because Robin is still just a BOY wonder. These should help you until he becomes a MAN"

Beastboy and Cyborg laughed harder than ever, while Robin ground his teeth in frustrated fury.

Finally, Beastboy showed what he considered to be his most offensive gift. A flea collar with 'world's greatest Pet' on it. There was no laughter from the others this time, only anger over the way this person saw their green friend. Raven snatched it from his hand and dumped it in the incinerator, before remarking "I think he wins. Any objections? Didn't think so."

Just then the alarm blared. Robin sighed and leapt to the console to find the threat. "Some of the Joker's thugs are robbing the Diamond exchange. Titans Go!"

A/N  
Stepin Fetchit was the most famously stereotypical black character in cinema history.

I know this chapter is a little happier than the norm, but I felt the need to write it. Damned if I know why.

Lets see the love here people! REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 4

As the Titan's moved to go, Beastboy felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked to see Raven holding him, worry clearly visible in her violet eyes. "Uh, Rae? Hero time- we gotta go"

At first the dark girl said nothing, merely continued to look at him. Finally she said "Gar, are you SURE you're ready for this? You just got out of the hospital- no one will think any less of you if you feel you need to sit this one out."

Beastboy took her hand in his and looked her square in the eye. "I'd think less of me. Rae, I signed on to this team 'cause I want to help people, to stop the bad guys, and that's what I'm gonna do. Am I really ready? I think so, but there's really only one way to find out for sure, isn't there? Besides" he waggled his eyebrows "now, if I get hurt, I can look forward to you laying your healing hands upon me"

Raven blushed deeply and shoved him in the chest. Hard. The green boy went sprawling, and the empath walked away, saying "if you get hurt, Gar, I'll lay hands on you all right- but it won't be to heal."

The changeling watched as his new girlfriend walked away. He shook his head. "What a woman!"

* * *

In the garage, Cyborg quickly plotted the bank's location into the T-Car's onboard computer, and set it to plot possible escape routes. Robin, meanwhile, watched the three fliers take off in the direction of Jump City, as he waited for the full story to be sent from police headquarters. When it arrived he immediately started reading, and what he saw surprised him.

Finished with his programming, Cyborg went through a last minute check of the car's systems and asked "So what are we up against, Rob?"

"It looks like a girl gang has robbed the bank. According to this, they were once called the Fatal Female Furies, and operated out of midtown. Small timers mostly- a few stick up jobs and muggings, plus the occasionala assault. During the Joker's reign over Jump City's criminals, they renamed themselves Harley'z Grrlz ."

Cyborg paused in his check and made a face "Seriously? Aw man. Do ya think the little riot girls ever MET the Clown Princess of Codependency? "

Robin snorted but kept reading "This gets weirder. They hooked up with the Joker's big gang for a while, but like most of his thugs they went back to their old habits when he was caught. Now, these girls are holed up in the bank, armed with state of the art weapons, and have exhibited masterful tactics and planning. But according to an analysis of the gang done four months ago, they're mostly rejects from other gangs and a few poseurs. They shouldn't be CAPABLE of something this big, especially so soon after the Joker's fall. So what's going on?"

Cyborg revved the engine and put the T-Car in gear and gripped the steering wheel with both hands. "No idea. Let's go find out."

Starfire was the first on the scene and what she saw sickened her. The bank's wall had been blown apart, most likely by high explosives of some sort. Here and there among the rubble she could already see dead and injured civilians, who had no doubt thought themselves safe. It saddened her deeply to see so much pain, so soon after the Joker's capture. It sickened her to think that ordinary, sane people were likely responsible for it. She was tempted to swoop in and exact righteous vengeance upon those who had committed this crime.

However, memories of Robin and Beastboy's lectures kept her from doing so. Anyone who had the power to blow apart a solid wall was clearly no one to trifle with. Even Tamaranian warriors, fearless and driven though they were, knew the value of reinforcements. She forced herself to await her friend's arrival, and tried to tune out the noise from within the bank. Fortunately, Beastboy arrived quickly, in the form of a green falcon.

Alighting on a nearby building the bird became a boy, and whistled. "Wow, they must be packing some serious firepower. I'm glad you didn't just run in, Star, this looks ugly"

Raven, the slowest of the fliers, came to a halt in the air alongside Starfire "Way to state the obvious, Beastboy. It's good to know we can always depend on you to tell us what's staring us in the face."

"Hey! You're my girlfriend now! You're not allowed to say stuff like that!" Beastboy yelled.

"Of course I can" Raven droned "The only thing that's changed is now I'm the ONLY one allowed to do so. Just as you're the only one who gets to call me Rae."

The discussion was interrupted by the arrival of the T-car. All three fliers went down to meet their teammates and discuss a plan.

"Beastboy, I need you to go inside and see what's going on in there. We need to know how many there are, what weapons they've got and whether or not they have hostages."

"I'm on it Boss" The green boy became a green mouse and scampered into the bank.

Once inside, Beastboy selected the form of a small kitten- combining small size with excellent senses. He wasn't happy with what he saw. Over a dozen civilians were huddled against the far wall, while eight girls in their late teens and early were scattered throughout the area. They carried a variety of military hardware, including what looked like a shoulder mounted rocket launcher. All the girls had the look of experienced gangbangers, and were clearly proceeding according to a plan. One was covering the hostages, two watched the hole in the wall, and the remainder were filling up sacks with money. The girls were spread out, meaning that not only were the entrances covered but also there was small chance of taking them out all at once.

Beastboy was somewhat puzzled by this. This gang was what one might call semi-professional; they'd been criminals for a long time but never on a large scale. Yet they were behaving with almost military precision, and that did not make sense. More than that, they weren't at home with their own behaviour; there discipline was just flawed enough to make that evident. He really wished he knew what was going on here. Nevertheless, he made his way through the rubble and back to his teammates. Once there he reported on what he'd seen, while Robin rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"I don't like it Rob" the green boy said when he'd finished "These girls aren't behaving right. It's like someone told them how the pros act, and they're trying to copy that. Something else is going on here."

Robin nodded and said "Maybe, but right now we have to bring them down. Star, you and Cyborg stay out here and cover us. Open fire only if it's absolutely necessary. Beastboy, you and I will make the initial assault. Raven, I want you to wait at the front entrance- if they get scared that's where they'll run. Titans GO!"

Starfire and Cyborg raced to the hole and took up firing positions on either side. Beastboy shifted into a rhino and let Robin hop onto his back before charging into the bank.

A/N

Lord knows I'm not writing this for reviews, but a complete lack of feedback is rarely a good sign. I know people are reading this, yet I'm hearing next to nothing.So is something wrong?

Also, check out my Batman stories Legacy of the Bat and Halloween Celebrations. I think they're pretty good.


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

Patricia Rulman had been leading Harley's Grrlz since before the Joker and Harley Quinn had come to town- back when they'd called themselves Divas of the Revolution. She had instantly admired the clown woman- her anarchic style, her genius costume and her refusal to submit to the conformist laws of the crypto-facist technocratic patriarchy. Harley embodied everything Patricia had always wanted to be- even back when she was stuck with that bourgeois-elitist family of hers. She had renamed the gang almost immediately upon hearing about her idol's arrival in Jump City, and had gone to offer her allegiance before anyone else could.

The Joker had handled negotiations- no doubt her Harleyness didn't lower herself to mere employee relations. Truth to tell, she had been a little disturbed by the rumors that circulated in the underwold- that her heroine was just a sidekick to the sicko in the suit. Still, she'd made her choice and she stood by it; Harley's Grrlz had remained an active part of the clown couple's reign over Jump City. When their leaders were captured, the Grrlz had acted quickly to seize as much of the Joker's armory as they could- while Patricia made off with the plans the clowns always had lying around. Plans for bank heists, plans for kidnappings, plans for turf wars, plans for mass killings- all written early on in expectation of victory over the Teen Titans, before the Joker had decided to just vaporize the city. As a result of these acquisitions, the Grrlz were better armed than they'd ever been and were able to orchestrate bigger jobs than they'd ever dreamed- and her girls thought she was a genius.

The truth was, she had fallen prey to a common affliction among leaders- she began to believe her own hype. With so many crimes going so well, she forgot that she had no real ability to plan large scale operations. She began to sneer at the Joker's plans- the very plans which had so far seen her rise now seemed woefully inadequate. Take the plan for this very robbery- the Joker had outlined a plan that involved three separate gangs. Two were to cause major disturbances in the city, drawing away the police and the Titans, while a third pulled the actual robbery. Patricia would admit that the plan was all right, but saw no need to enlist any other groups but her own. Obviously, she could draw off the cops and the capes by setting a huge fire on the other side of town, and having accomplices phone in a bomb threat to city hall

The sight of Robin charging into the bank atop a green rhinoceros dispelled that idea. "It's the Titans! Shoot 'em! SHOOT 'EM!" Patty yelled, and aimed her own gun at the pair. She opened fire, as did all her girls. Bullets and high-powered energy beams filled the air, but Patty knew this would not be enough. The Titans had beaten supervillains and master criminals- they'd even managed to beat Harley Quinn! What chance did she have?

As it turned out, she had a better one than she dreamed of.

* * *

Robin and Beastboy dove apart the second the lead girl opened up with her machine gun. Robin scanned the situation and was cheered by what he saw. The robbers had made no move towards the civilians; plainly, they hadn't yet thought of using them as hostages or human shields. That indicated a fairly low tactical ability- which made his job easier, but enflamed his curiosity. How had these amateurs pulled off such a complicated scheme?

Meanwhile, Beastboy was struggling for control. The sound of battle, the rush of adrenaline, the sneering faces of the enemy all served to unnerve him. His surroundings began to change; he was no longer in a classically designed office, but in a cage. He glanced at the criminals, hoping to reassure himself. As he looked, their forms began to melt, and change. Instead of eight young (but heavily armed) women, he saw eight white skinned, green haired demons. Copies of the Joker filled the room, their eyes fixed on him, and their laughter was so loud Beastboy thought his ears would burst from the sound.

The green hero tried in vain to deny what he was seeing. 'This can't be real! It CAN'T be! The Joker is in' he told himself, as his body began to tremble in blind fear. In a state like that, however, the rational mind is at best a passenger; instinct is firmly in the driver's seat. Specifically, the survival instinct commonly referred to as Fight or Flight- the choice to attack or to retreat. Faced with a terrifying and numerically superior enemy, Beastboy's instincts drove him to flee. Without a word to Robin, the changeling shifted to the form of a deer and bolted back through the large hole.

"Beastboy?! What the hell are you doing?! BEASTBOY!" Robin yelled. He was honestly staggered- he'd always known Beastboy to be less than reliable off-duty, but he'd never dreamed that his friend would ever abandon him in combat. He had little time to dwell on the seeming betrayal, as the girls began to close on him. He rapidly considered his options, and found them to be poor. If only the girls weren't as well armed, he'd have a good chance. As things were, he wasn't optimistic- so, he triggered his communicator, signaling for Starfire and Cyborg to move in.

This was a calculated risk on his part. If threatened, the girls might still make use of their potential hostages. Moreover, the girls were packing some serious weapons- he saw light machine guns, a few shoulder mounted rocket launchers, and two laser weapons. Even with Starfire and Cyborg, this would be dangerous. 'If only Beastboy hadn't abandoned me…!' He thought, and ground his teeth,

"Well, well, well" cooed the one at the front, presumably their leader "Looks like someone let their little birdy all alone. Tsk tsk tsk." She raised her machine pistol at the Boy Wonder's head; at this distance she didn't even need to aim…

A thin beam of green energy cut the gun cleanly in two. Starfire hovered in the entry to the bank her eyes glowing with fury. "If you wish to remain unharmed, you will leave Robin alone!"

All weapons moved to cover the Tamaranian princess, leaving Robin free to act. His hand flew to his utility belt and withdrew a number of smoke bombs. He tossed them into the center of the room, and soon the entire chamber was awash in a haze of thick smoke. Already, the robbers were coughing heavily. Robin smirked; with the advantage of weaponry removed, the girls would be no challenge at all.

"Starfire, Cyborg, I have things covered here. Take Raven and go find Beastboy. The little punk ran out on me"

Cyborg gawked "He- he left you? In the middle of a BATTLE?!" This was serious. The one unbreakable rule of all teams had just been broken- no matter what you never NEVER abandoned your teammate in a dangerous situation.

Robin nodded "I don't want to believe it either, Cy, but he did. And he is going to pay for that."

A/N

No, Robin isn't being vindictive or mean. A teammate who abandons you in combat has betrayed you- and betrayal has to be punished. Ask any soldier. Plus, he doesn't know why it happened.

I know, it's a bit of an anticlimax. I actually had a plan to make the Grrlz the first move in a huge game between Slade and another villain (possibly Luthor or maybe Blackfire)- but frankly, this story is going to be hard enough to do properly. If anyone else wants to do that, by all means feel free.

Sorry about all the revolutionary BS in the first part of the story. I just wanted to simulate the classical Recolutionary Firebrand Jargon- which is, of course, BS. Rest assured, it won't happen again.


	6. Chapter 6

Outside the Bank, Raven was racked with worry. A few seconds ago, she had heard the sounds of battle beginning and felt a burst of sheer terror emanating from somewhere inside. Her empathic abilities were not a precise science; she couldn't tell exactly who it was that was afraid. Nor could she explain the sudden stop to the terror- as though the person broadcasting had suddenly vanished. She feared the worst, and was preparing to charge in regardless of her orders when her communicator chimed. She triggered it, hoping to hear good news.

"Friend Raven, Boyfriend Robin believes the situation to be in hand. He has ordered you, Cyborg and myself to find Beastboy."

Raven's blood turned to ice in her veins. Struggling to remain calm she asked "What happened to Beastboy?"

"I am uncertain. He fled the battle, and we do not know to where he has gone. Boyfriend Robin is most furious at the moment, but I believe this shall pass. However, we are all concerned. We shall meet you at the front of the bank, and decide upon a search pattern."

Within seconds the alien princess arrived, with Cyborg not far behind her. Cyborg spoke first "Robin says he can handle the bit- err, the women inside. Who are of course in no way to be compared to female dogs."

"Well phrased" Raven remarked dryly "I commend your survival instinct. What happened to Beastboy? And how angry is Robin"

"I don't know what happened, all I saw was a green gazelle tearing off due East. As for Robin, he's angry now but if Beastboy has a good reason for what he did, he'll get over it." Cyborg looked uncomfortable "I should never have let the little guy come along; we all knew he's been having some problems."

Raven shook her head "We had no indication that he might do something like this. Yes, he's been having trouble with solitude and there was that weird incident during the movie. But we have no idea what the cause of either problem was; this may be totally unrelated. In any case, I spoke with Gar just before we left the Tower. I seriously doubt we could have made him stay behind short of locking him up. If we'd left him he'd have come on his own and maybe gotten himself into even worse trouble"

"Friends, let us not worry over this now" Starfire said, rising into the air "I believe it would be more productive to find our friend and ask him what transpired. I shall look from the skies while Cyborg patrols the streets. Raven, perhaps you can find him with your powers?"

The empath nodded. "I'll have to go into meditation to do it. Picking out one psyche from an entire city of people- even one I know well- is hard."

"Then let it be so. Titans let us GO!" Starfire shot into the air with a fist raised. Neither Cyborg nor Raven moved for a moment. Eventually, a large bead of sweat appeared on the alien girl's forehead.

"You've been waiting a long time to say that, haven't you Star?" Cyborg said with a wry smile.

The Tamaranian princess blushed prettily, and chuckled. "Heh, heh."

* * *

'Gotta run. Gotta escape gotta get AWAY. After me, after me, why is he after me? Why won't he leave me be?' the thoughts echoed through the battered mind

Beastboy fled in blind panic, guided by pure animal instinct. His conscious mind was barely coherent, having long ago given way to blind fear. The Joker loomed on every street corner, his laughter echoed across the entire city. No matter how fast the changeling ran, no matter what form he took, the Joker was always there. Always laughing.

Beastboy used every technique he knew to evade his seemingly omnipresent enemy. He zigged, he zagged, he doubled back on his own trail, and he changed forms constantly. The trouble with this approach lay in the fact that all animals have different instinctive responses to danger. A bird takes to the air, a turtle tucks into his shell and a wolf seeks out his pack. Thus, the boy was unable to stick to one coherent strategy.

Unbeknownst to him, his rapidly shifting instincts also made him impossible for Raven to locate. The empath had entered a deep meditative trance, and was scanning the area for any sign of her boyfriend. Although she noticed a number of anomalies, they would vanish before she could pinpoint them. It was greatly frustrating to her, to know that the one she loved was in agony and she was unable to help him. Nevertheless, "quit" had never been a part of her vocabulary, and so she pressed on with her scan.  
Cyborg and Starfire were also going about their searches, with no more success. Occasionally, they would be rewarded with a glimpse of a green blur, but they always lost it.  
"I hope that Robin fares better than we do" Starfire said to herself.

* * *

The interior of the bank was now almost totally choked with smoke- but not an ordinary smoke. Batman, had long ago run up against a problem familiar to law enforcement- while smoke screens are immensely effective cover, they are also dangerous as people suffocate in the thick smoke. As a result, the world's greatest detective had long ago devised a chemical which would obscure vision while unaided breathing. Thus, although all those inside were in no danger of suffocation, despite being completely blind.

The criminals were wandering around the room, blindly lashing out with their weapons- using their prized arsenal as makeshift clubs to strike at an enemy they could not detect. Robin, on the other hand, could find them easily- part of Batman's training was the art of blind fighting. Robin closed his eyes and opened his mind to his other senses.

He could hear the girls stumbling about, and could smell their cheap makeup. Like a shark, the Boy Wonder glided through the haze, silently stalking the young robbers. When he reached one, he would quickly and quietly disable her, cuff her unconscious body, and then move on to the next one. It was a feat worthy of a master ninja, and it was accomplished in a matter of minutes. When he counted nine fallen felons, the Boy Wonder made his way to the far wall, where the civilians had been kept. Moving to the front of the line, he cleared his throat and began issuing instructions in a loud voice.

"All right, people. I've beaten the robbers and I'm going to get you all out of here. I want each person to take hold of the hand of the person in front of him or her and walk calmly out of here. If we all work together and keep our heads, you'll be out of here in a minute or two. Everyone ready?" Robin grasped the hand of the first civilian and began to walk towards the hole; where a dim light shone through the haze. True enough, within two minutes the citizens of Jump City were out and free. Robin didn't pause to speak to the police but took off to find his treacherous comrade.

* * *

Beastboy wasn't sure where he was going anymore- after so many sudden changes of direction and shifted forms, he had no idea where he was or how he'd gotten there. His whole body burned with fatigue and exertion, his mind was strained from the unending terror. He was rapidly approaching the edges of even his superhuman stamina.

Nevertheless, he had no intention of letting the Joker capture him again; he kept on running, until eventually he found himself in a dead-end alley. He was about to flee when the Joker flew down out of the sky. He tried to shift into a bird to escape, but his body simply wasn't able respond to his wishes. He couldn't even become the Beast- his body didn't possess the necessary energy reserves. He'd pushed himself too far, and now all he could do was to curl up into a ball and pray that the end was quick.

Starfire had seen a green dog race down the street, and had been able to follow it even after it became an emerald rat. She was able to keep up with her friend's baffling and seemingly random changes in direction, and was therefore with him as he turned into the alley. Confident that she could now approach her friend, she descended from the sky.

To her surprise, the changeling shrieked in horror and leapt into the air. His form wavered, and became slightly amorphous, but eventually, the green boy collapsed whimpering on the ground. Frightened by this, Starfire activated her communicator.

"This is Starfire; I have found our friend at an alley on…" She darted her eyes to the left. Her alien vision picked out a street sign "…Jurgen Avenue. Please come quickly, friends, I fear Beastboy is most unwell."

"Starfire?" Robin's voice emerged from the small disc-like communicator. Starfire felt relief flow through her- although she knew her love was a mighty warrior, he was still only human and she had been slightly worried for him. "I'll be there in a moment. Make sure he doesn't go anywhere."

Starfire frowned at her communicator-clearly Robin was still angry. At first, she too had been most dismayed at Beastboy's apparent cowardice. Tamaranian culture regarded fleeing battle to be the height of shameful behavior, and she had been raised to have nothing but contempt to anyone who would sink so low. But now, she questioned whether Beastboy could truly be held responsible for his flight.

Robin arrived shortly and at first he did indeed seem furious. The moment he saw the changeling, who by now was in the fetal position, the anger vanished from his face, "My god" the Boy Wonder said softly before triggering his communicator. "Cyborg, I want you to go back to the Tower and get the medical bay ready. Beastboy is…he's unwell. Raven, come to the alley at once."

A burst of black energy emerged from nowhere and suddenly the gray skinned sorceress was kneeling beside the shivering Beastboy, and her arms were wrapped around him. He struggled weakly, but seemed to lack even that much strength. "don't worry, Garfield. I'm here. You're safe." Her voice was gentle, soft and full of love. Turning her head to Robin she resumed her normal monotone "I've never felt this much fear in one person. I think… I think Gar may be in more trouble than we ever guessed."

A/N

Some people have commented that the Titans (especially Robin) were acting callously towards Beastboy, and that the changeling should never have been allowed out on this mission.

I want to clarify something; the only thing the Titan's knew about Beastboy's condition was what the doctor told Robin at the end of the Joker's Wild. That he has nightmares, hates being alone for any length of time, and is obsessed with hygiene. They had no idea- until now- just how bad things were. Remember, too, Beastboy was acting fairly normal (well, for him, any way), apart from that one incident during the movie. Even Raven, with her empathic powers, can only tell that he's feeling a lot of fear and turmoil- both of which are only to be expected after what he went through.


	7. Chapter 7

"This is all my fault. I never should have let him go out there. We saw that there was something wrong with him, I should have forced him to stay" Robin said, as the Titans sat in the Common Room, waiting for Beastboy to wake up. They'd brought him to the Tower as quickly as possible, and given him a physical. The entire time, the green boy had done little more than lie there and shiver, occassionally whimpering. Only Raven was absent, having elected to stay with her boyfriend until he woke.

"How?" Cyborg asked morosely "Little guy wanted to come. I think that he wanted to prove to himself that he could still do this. And how exactly would you have forced him to stay? He can escape almost any bonds you want to place on him, unless you're talking about locking him in the containment cells."

Robin grimaced "Maybe that would have been for the best. I'm the leader, I'm supposed to look out for the team. I knew that Beastboy wasn't doing as well as he seemed; I should have seen this coming."

"I repeat. How? We aren't psychologists Rob- we're teenagers. Maybe we should have know the kid wasn't 100 percent, but there is no way we could have foreseen anything like this."

"Still" Robin persisted, intent on blaming himself "We should have known he wasn't ready yet. He was only released from the hospital yesterday! Why did we do it? Why did I do it?!"

Starfire placed a hand on her boyfriends shoulder and spoke in a calm voice "Friends, I think the answer is quite simple. We very badly wished to see our friend return to his normal self. Therefore, we failed to see the signs that would contradict this. We did not wish to see them, not because we are callous or cruel but because we feared for our dear friend. Since we did not allow ourselves to see the problems, we convinced ourselves that all was more or less as it should be. There is no blame here; we must simply take care to see things as they are in future"

Cyborg nodded, and smiled sadly "Blinded by our own optimism, huh? Never thought I'd hear myself accused of that. Never even DREAMED I'd hear Raven accused of that. But you're right, whatever mistake we made before aren't important; it's what we do from now on that matters."

A moment of silence passed, and then Starfire spoke "Friends? Do you think that friend Beastboy will ever return to normal? Will his experience with the most hateful Joker destroy him?"

Robin sighed "I don't know, Star, I really don't. A lot of people who go through that sort of thing never fully recover. On the other hand, some people go on to lead almost totally normal lives. I know Jim Gordon was subject to the Joker's sick attentions once- granted it wasn't as brutal as what happened to Beastboy, but it was pretty bad. He's always been marked by what happened, but he managed to get on with his life. It really is up to Beastboy - but we'll help him all that we can."

* * *

Beastboy slowly returned to his senses; once more his conscious mind came to the fore. He looked around himself and wasn't altogether surprised to see that he was in the Med Bay of Titan's Tower. He was lying on his usual hospital bed, which also didn't surprise him. Each Titan had a hospital bed geared to their specific needs- in Beastboy's case, the need to be able to restrain a shapeshifter. At the moment, he wasn't restrained, so he sat up. He then realized that his uniform was gone, replaced by a hospital gown. Again, he wasn't surprised- he'd probably been given a physical and that's hard to do through spandex.

He WAS surprised to see Raven sitting in the blue plastic chair beside his bed, lightly dozing. He decided that his girl should be in bed if she wanted to sleep; his plan was to get up, pick up the sleeping sorceress and slip her into his bed, and then take her place in the chair.

That was the plan, anyway. As he moved out of bed, he happened to put his foot on a discarded (and thankfully unused) bedpan. It slipped out from under his foot, and the young shapeshifter fell flat on his face. The bedpan collided against the wall with a loud clatter. Beastboy winced and slowly shifted his eyes up to Raven. The dark girl looked down on him with a mixture of pity and relief in her eyes- although of course her face was as stoic as ever.

"You're awake. Good. I'd like to recap the days events, if I may. After receiving the alarm from the bank, I stopped you in the hall. I asked you if you were sure you were ready for this, and you said you were. We proceeded to the bank. Shortly after entering you started giving off waves of panic, bolted from the scene, and apparently suffered a very minor psychotic episode. Any comments so far?"

Beastboy winced "yeah, what happened to 'Are you all right Gar? Is there anything I can do for you Gar?' huh?"

Raven remained impassive "We checked you out physically the moment we got back to the Tower and apart from severe exhaustion, you're fine. It's your mental and psychological status that now concerns us, and we needed you awake to check on that. However for what it's worth, I was extremely worried about you and if you ever put me through anything like that ever again, I can assure you you will learn new definitions of pain."

Beastboy grinned lavisciously "Ooo kinky! I didn't know you were into that leather and lace stuff, Rae"

Raven never so much as twitched an eyebrow "Don't try to change the subject. What happened out there? And don't tell me nothing, or that you're fine, or any sort of macho bullshit." Her voice softened "I love you Gar, and I'm scared for you. Please, tell me what's going on."

"Look, rae, I admit that I kinda spazzed out back there, but I have it under control. It was a one time thing, and I'm better now"

"Bullshit. I can feel the fear and turmoil in you, Garfield. The truth. Now."

Beastboy sighed "All right, but you have to promise not to tell the others- especially Robin, okay?"

Raven shook her head firmly "I will not. Robin is our leader and our friend- he deserves to know. We've all been worried about you and we all want to help you. Now spill."

Beastboy sighed "Can I at least wait until we're all together? This is not going to be a fun story for me, and I'd like to minimize the number of times I have to tell it."

Raven considered this. "Yes, that would be good idea. We'll hear what you have to say, and decide what to do. Don't worry, Gar, we'll help you through this. Now, get dressed As much as I enjoy the sight of your naked butt, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing." She got up and left the room with a definite smirk on her face.

Beastboy sighed and began looking for his pants. "I had to go and fall for the Amazon Queen Type, didn't I?" he said, as he started arranging his thoughts to best explain the situation to his friends.

He didn't want them making a big deal of this- he didn't want them to think he was unable to be a hero anymore. The only other team he'd ever known was the Doom Patrol, and Mento had definite Views about people who couldn't pull their weight on the team. He prayed that he wouldn't be forced to lose a third family.


	8. Chapter 8

Beastboy emerged from the Medical bay and headed straight for the common room

Beastboy emerged from the Medical bay and headed straight for the common room. He'd decided that honesty would be his best bet, since Robin was trained to detect lying and Raven could sense it. He found his friends sitting together, waiting with ill-concealed worry. When he entered the room, all eyes turned to him. Nervously, the green boy rubbed the back of his head. "Heh. Not used to having such an attentive audience"

"Less jokes, more explanation" Raven said, and drew her boyfriend down onto the seat beside her.

"Yeah, man" Cyborg said "What happened out there? And why couldn't you sleep in your own room?"

Beastboy took a deep breath and told them everything. "First things first. The reason I flipped out at the bank is pretty simple- I was hallucinating. Every person in there suddenly turned into the Joker- even you guys. I…I lost control, let my animal side take over and animals only know one response to an overwhelming threat: run. So I ran, but it seemed that the Joker was chasing me, or maybe leading me on- he seemed to be everywhere, no matter what I did. And…and that's not the only time it happened, either. You remember that night, when we were all watching the movie? I saw you guys turn into the Joker and Harley- all four of you turned into copies of the Joker and Harley!  
As for why I can't sleep in my own room…every time I'm alone, I get a feeling…no, it's more than that. It's like a part of me is absolutely CERTAIN that the second I'm alone, he'll come back for me. That he's waiting in the shadows for me to let my guard down- god, sometimes I swear I can hear him giggling. Or that I'll wake up back in that damned dungeon- and it's all been nothing but a dream." Beastboy's face burned with shame at the revelation of his weakness, and he couldn't bear to meet his friends eyes.

Robin was the first one to speak "Beastboy, why- why didn't you come to us? Why didn't you say something?"

Beastboy shrugged "I didn't want you guys thinking I couldn't cut it anymore. I know there's no place on the team for weaklings and crybabies"

"That's nuts" Cyborg exclaimed "Dude, what happened to you was not your fault. And the problems you're having aren't your fault either- it's normal for people who've been through traumatic experiences to have problems. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Hell, I went through all kinds of troubles went I first got my cybernetics. Depression, paranoia, self-loathing... you name it, I probably had it. No one here thinks any less of you for whats happening."

Beastboy looked up "Yeah? What about Starfire? She went through at least as much with the Citadel as I did with the Joker, but she never flipped out like this."

Starfire placed a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder "Beastboy, I am not human. I do not have the same sort of psychology as humans and it is unreasonable to use me as an example. Tamaranians do not react to pain and fear in the same manner as humans. Based on what I little I know of the Terran mind, I believe any human who went through what I did would be incurably mad or perhaps dead. The fact that you have ONLY experienced the troubles you described is a sign of great strength."

"And before you say anything" Raven said "I'm not fully human either. It's pointless to compare yourself to me. I have studied some human psychology and believe me when I say that you are doing admirably."

"Furthermore" Robin added, his voice carrying a touch of anger "Where in the world did you get the idea that we would even consider cutting you from the team? You're our family, Beastboy, and we stick together. No matter what. What on earth ever made you think otherwise?"

"Don't tell me" Raven droned as she put her arms around the changeling "Let me guess. Mento and the Doom Patrol, right? One day I am going to have a discussion with that man." As she said this, Raven's eyes briefly flashed red, giving a hint as to just what sort of discussion that would be.

Beastboy finally raised his eyes from the floor, and regarded his teammates- his family. He was sure that he would see pity or contempt in their eyes but instead he saw only honest worry. Even Robin, who normally never showed the slightest hint of doubt looked deeply troubled. Beastboy grew worried- had he overstated the problem to his friends? Or had he understated it to himself? "So, what do you guys think?"

"I think we have to talk about what to do next" Robin said "The first question is one for Beastboy alone- do you want to seek treatment with a psychologist?"

Beastboy looked around the room, but his friends faces were deliberately blank. Finally, he said "No. No, I don't. Not until it's clear that its my only hope. It's just…I want to try to work through this alone."

Raven, Robin and Starfire seemed to relax, while a frown flitted across Cyborg's face. The metal man said "Are you SURE about this, man? A doctor would be able to cure you for sure."

"I know, Cy, but if I can do this on my own, I'd like to. Plus, you know that if word of this gets out- that one of the Titan's was nearly driven crazy in the line of duty- it'll cause all kinds of problems. I mean, how many people do you think will ask themselves why kids are being allowed to go do this stuff? Or, how long before some smart defense lawyer argues that we can't be trusted to testify against his client? Best to keep it quiet."

Robin nodded "I have to admit, Beastboy, all that crossed my mind too. Okay, no doctor- at least not yet. But that doesn't mean you're alone on this. We've all been through traumatic events in our past and managed to cope. So, tonight I want everyone to think about how we can help Beastboy get well."

"One other thing, little man" Cyborg said "You're gonna help me set up a new room for both of us. Like you said, you can't sleep alone and no one else fits the bill. So I thought we'd take the comms room, move the equipment in here, and set up our stuff in there. Sound good?"

Beastboy grinned "Sounds great!" He'd been through hell for a long time, but now he just knew things would get better.

A/N

Updates may be somewhat less frequent as I have just discovered a vast cache of Transformers cartoons- the original series!- on you tube. I haven't seen these in 20 years or more. They're every bit as awesome as I remember.

And before anyone says anything: Yes, the Titans may well be making a foolish decision. However, many people refuse psychological help on far flimsier grounds, and some actually manage to work through it alone.


	9. Chapter 9

Beastboy and Cyborg spent the rest of the afternoon moving things from the Comms Room to the Common Room. This was easier than it might have been, since the Common Room had been designed to be much larger than the Team needed. The thinking had been that the Team might grow, or technology might change , requiring extra things (new game systems, bigger TVs and so forth) to be brought in to ensure that all the Titans could enjoy themselves in the Common Room. Therefore, it was a simple matter to set up a workstation in the back, and hook the Communications equipment up there. Afterwards, they started setting up their new bedroom- connecting Cyborg's recharging station to the wall, and setting up a bed for Beastboy. As they worked, Cyborg spoke to his friend about the troubles he'd had in the aftermath of his accident.

"It wasn't even all the cybernetics" he said "I know that now. I mean, yeah, at the time it seemed like all my problems were from the metal in my body, but they weren't. I was dealing with a whole lot of psychological stuff too; survivor's guilt, trauma, identity issues, and suppressed anger, just to name a few"

Beastboy smirked "Suppressed anger? You?"

Cyborg stopped, and looked affronted "What, you don't think I get angry?"

"No, I just can't see you suppressing it- OW!" The green boy rubbed the back of his head and scowled up at his friend.

"Serves you right. Anyway, I found keeping a journal really helped me get my head together. Writing down all the stuff I felt, all the things I was going through, it helped me identify my problems and my fears. You might try that, Greenbean. Write down all the things that're bothering you- nightmares, hallucinations, fears, whatever. Then, read it over and try to pick out what really going on- what's your subconscious trying to tell you. Then, you can work on it."

"But I already know what's wrong!" Beastboy protested "The Joker tortured me and now I'm terrified he'll come back!"

Cyborg shook his head "Man, you know enough psychology to know that it's never THAT simple. I'll bet there's all kinds of other things going on in that underripe coconut of yours. Lord knows there's room enough, what with the total absence of brain- OW!" Now the metal man rubbed at the flesh on his upper arm, where a green cat had just bitten him.

"Serves you right. Now, where should we set up the bunk beds?"

"Bunk beds? Why would we need bunk beds? I recharge at my station, Salad Head, remember?"

Beastboy shook his head "Doesn't matter. Ever since I got my powers, I've only slept well when I've been high up. I think its some kind of instinct thing- most animals that can climb sleep as high up as they can to avoid predators. It's just a lot more comfortable for me to sleep that way, and bunk beds are the best answer there is."

Cyborg shrugged "Whatever man, but in that case why not just set up a hammock? I mean, we can string it up as high as you like, and take it down in the mornings. It'll save us all kinds of space, plus I ain't looking forward to moving those beds of yours."

Beastboy thought for a moment then nodded enthusiastically "Yeah, and I think we have one in storage, from Starfire's Rooftop Yard Experiment."

A few years ago, Starfire had become enamoured of the idea of a backyard. She found the notion of a small park so close to the home to be enchanting. So, she had set about turning the roof of the Tower into a perfectly groomed yard, complete with trees, plastic flamingos and, yes, a hammock. The experiment had ended when an unseasonable cold snap killed the young grass and trees- much to the relief of the male Titans, none of whom were looking forward to yard work. Starfire had been disappointed , but Robin had cheered her up with a trip to the Botanical Gardens. The hammock, along with all the other bric-a-brac, had been placed in storage and forgotten.

It only took a few minutes to find the hammock in the Tower's computerized inventory, and a few minutes more to bring it to the room. Once the hammock was set up at just above head height, Beastboy leapt in. "I think that's enough for right now, Cy. We'll get the rest in the morning." The green boy settled back in preparation for a good nights sleep.

"Not so fast, grass stain" Cyborg said, yanking the changeling from his new bed "Before we go to sleep, we're gonna set some rules for this room. First, this place stays clean. I ain't no neat freak but you are NOT turning this place into a garbage dump like you did your last room." Beastboy nodded impatiently, and Cyborg went on "Second, as far as pranks go this room is officially neutral ground. No pranks, no jokes, no nothing while we're here no matter what. Third, this is officially a PG-Rated Room- if you and Raven want to do anything more than over the clothing petting, go somewhere else. I do NOT need to be seein' that."

"DUDE!" Beastboy squawked.

"Hey man, I figure better to say it then to walk in on you two naked someday. Those are the rules, got it?"

Beastboy muttered something about uppity and mean spirited toasters but nodded.

"Good. And in the spirit of friendship, I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that stuff. Now, let's get some sleep."

* * *

Darkness. Pain. Laughter, horrible laughter. He was back in the Joker's torture chamber, only this time the madman was huge. His grinning face seemed to fill the world, and he seemed all-powerful. Beastboy felt that he was less than nothing before this terrible, evil god who had spirited him to hell- who held the power of life and death over him. The Joker-God reached out and enfolded His prey in one immense white hand, and began to crush the life from him.

Beastboy woke from his nightmare, his scream still echoing in the room. He glanced to Cyborg, but the metal man was still dead to the world.

Sitting up, Beastboy closed his eyes and began to pray with more sincerity than he'd felt in years. "Please, God, if You're listening- don't let me lose my mind. Help me get through this. Please." In the absence of a manifestation of Divine favor, the changeling sighed. He lay back his hammock and tried to put the dream out of his mind. In a few minutes, he was asleep again.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning all the Titans save Beastboy (who was in the shower) met at the breakfast table. Raven, Robin and Starfire had all spent much of the night wracking their brains for a way to help their green friend overcome his trauma. Luckily (if you could call it luck) each of the Titans had been through their share and more of traumatic experiences. Robin had dealt with horror and death every night in Gotham, Starfire had endured uncountable torments at the hands of the Psions, and Raven had been the gateway to Hell. This gave them certain insights when it came to such problems.

Finally, the changeling walked into the kitchen, still wet from his long shower. Raven was the first to see him enter, and went over to him for a good morning hug. When she pulled away, she wrinkled her nose at the strong scents of shampoo and soap. "Garfield, how long were you in the shower, exactly?"

"Um…I dunno… forty minutes, an hour?"

"Okay…why?"

The green boy just shrugged "Lost track of time, I guess. Why? You prefer the scent of Eau de Garcon Bete?"

Raven raised an eyebrow "Since when do you know French? Never mind, you'll tell me when you take me to dinner tonight."

"I asked you to dinner tonight?"

"Let's say that you did. You wanted to take me to that new restaurant on Jordan Avenue- the Galaxy Room. You were extremely romantic and I had no choice but to give in" Raven said, completely deadpan.

"Hmmm.." a slow smile spread across Beastboy's face "Can we say you were powerless against my manly charms?"

"That depends. Can we say I slapped you silly?"

"Ouch, Rae. That hurt."

"AHEM!" Robin said "Now that that is settled, why don't we have breakfast? And to avoid the epic Meat versus Tofu debate, we're having cereal, toast and juice. Anyargumentnogood." He said the last part quickly, before either Beast Boy or Cyborg could object. Soon, the sounds of chewing were the only ones in the room.

When breakfast had been eaten, and the Team got to the serious business of the day: helping Beastboy. Starfire was the first to speak, and her voice and posture clearly showed her sadness.

"Friend Beastboy, I could not think of anything that might help a human to do the coping with trauma. Among my people, a bloody vengeance and a Feast of Vindication are the traditional responses to what was done to you. Boyfriend Robin has informed me that vengeance is not possible and without it, the feast would be without meaning. I am truly, truly most sorry, my friend." Starfire looked as though she were going to cry, and indeed fainly luminescent tears leaked from her eyes. The glowing tears ran slowly down her orange cheek as the alien princess despaired at her inability to help a friend. For Starfire, this was sheer torment- to see a cherished friend in pain and yet be unable to help them.

"It's okay Starfire" the changeling said quietly as he drew the much taller alien into a gentle hug "I know you tried your best, and that matters a lot."

Robin waited a moment before clearing his throat in the universal Get-Off-My-Girlfriend tone. Once the changeling had disengaged from Starfire, the Boy Wonder began speaking. "I've also been thinking, Beastboy"

"Be patient with him, it's a new experience" Cyborg said, as he buttered another slice of toast. The metal man had already given Beastboy his advice- to keep a journal- and resolved to simply be there for his friend.

"Shut up. Anyway, the BatTeam has a protocol for aiding people who've experience the sort of thing you have. On the plus side, we've had a lot of experience, but on the downside I've never met anyone who's been through what you have. So I don't know how well it will work"

"Well" the green boy said lackadaisically "It can't very well make things worse, can it? "

"There is that." Robin said with a smile. It was good to have Beastboy back as team clow- Team Jo- the humor expert of the team. "Basically, it's a long period of slow acclimatization- you're gardually exposed to your fears until, eventually, they lose their power over you. We'll start with your fear of isolation- leaving you alone for a little while, then for a little longer, then a little longer yet. Eventually, it won't bother you to be alone at all. "

"Um…Okay." Beastboy wasn't exactly thrilled with this course of treatment, but knew that if Robin was recommending it he was fairly certain it would work. "Rae? Any thoughts?"

"Yes. I would like to confront your emotions directly. Then we can determine how much damage has been done, and how best to go about correcting it" The empath droned, sipping at her tea. She made a face and reached for the sugar bowl.

"Confront them directly? You don't mean like… inside my head?" Beastboy was more than a little nervous about this prospect. He remembered what it had been like in Raven's head, years ago.

"Exactly" Raven stirred a spoonful of sugar into her tea and sipped again. Apparently satisfied with the taste, she continued "Of course it will take some preparation before we can actually enter your mindscape. I have a spare Azarathian Mind Mirror, but we have to attune it to you. Therefore, every afternoon you will join me for an hour of meditation until we have attuned the mirror to your mind. Do not expect it to be as perilous as my"

"So you see Beastboy" Robin said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder "Everything will work out!"

At that moment the Alarm went off. Racing to the new Comms Setup, Robin began tapping the controls until he found the source of the disturbance. "It's Cinderblock- apparently he's on the rampage in Downtown"

"I see he hasn't made any fashion changes since the Joker left town" Raven noted wryly. Sure enough the concrete colossus still wore the orange jumpsuit and hat that the Joker had given him. It made the whole scene at once horrifying and humorous.

"Boyfriend Robin? What are we to do with friend Beastboy? He cannot go into battle with us, but I am uncomfortable leaving him alone" Starfire said, a note of worry in her voice.

Robin was torn. He couldn't take Beastboy into a combat situation, that was obvious; the changeling would be a danger to himself and others. But he couldn't leave him in the Tower alone because that would be mental and emotional torture. Nor could he spare a team mate to stay behind with him- the Titans were already one team member short and Cinderblock was tough. Finally, he made the only decision possible under the circumstances. "Beastboy, you're coming with us BUT you are not going to be near the fighting. You are to stay as far away as possible- in fact, I want you to stay with the civilians and keep them calm. TITANS GO!"

A/N

I have no idea if Starfire's tears glow or not, but I like the image.


	11. Chapter 11

The Titans made their way to the danger zone at top speed. When they arrived, the flying heroes landed while the other two disembarked from the T-Car It wasn't hard to find Cinderblock's trail- the stony giant had cut a swath of destruction through the heart of Jump City. Cars had been thrown around the streets, street signs and traffic lights had been uprooted, and fist-shaped holes had been smashed into buildings. Thankfully, it didn't seem as though anyone had been hurt- apparently the area had been evacuated as soon as the monster's rampage began. Finally, they reached the monster's location. THe beast was currently inside the Jump City Stock Exchange, and sounds of destruction could be heard within. A small crowd of police had cordoned off the area, and awaited the Titans arrival.

"What is he doing?" Robin asked himself aloud "He's not taking anything, and his path seems to be random. If he has a specific target, why all this destruction? And if not, why act at all? What is the plan behind this?"

"Boyfriend Robin, I have a thought" Starfire said "We know that Cinderblock is always in someone else's employ, yes? And that his most recent master was the hateful Joker. Perhaps, without anyone to guide it, the beast is simply lashing out at random. Perhaps there IS no larger plan at work, merely a frustrated and powerful monster venting its anger."

"That fits the situation pretty well, Rob" Cyborg added "Ol' Rockhead has always been an attack dog- first Slade's, then the Joker's. And we all know what happens to guard dogs with no one giving them commands."

Robin considered the thought from all angles, like any true disciple of the Batman would. It seemed to hold up in the face of available evidence. "Maybe. If that is true, then he'll be easier to subdue- he'll be all aggression and no tactics. But everyone keep your eyes open for any nasty tricks, just in case. Beastboy, you stay here and make sure the police don't get involved- Cinderblock is too much for them to handle. TITANS! GO!"

Raven paused to briefly take her boyfriend's hand "Stay here, Gar. We'll be out soon." She said, before taking to the air and entering the building.

Beastboy had been a professional hero for the majority of his young life. As such, he wasn't familiar with waiting on the sidelines of a metahuman battle. It was much harder than he'd thought it would be- harder than actually fighting such a battle was. In battle, all you had to worry about was combat. All your thoughts were centered on your fight and your immediate surroundings. There was no time to worry about your friends, or about your own mental problems. Now, though, he had ample time to worry about both.

'Cinderblock is one tough nut, will they be all right without me? I'm sure they're fine…But, is this my future? Just another helpless bystander? How long have they been in there, anyway?' These were the thoughts that echoed within the changeling's mind. The police officer's had all heard rumors of what the green boy had been through and while no report had been made about his mental state, they were experienced police officers. They'd seen enough horror, even in relatively placid Jump City, to know that no one walked away from that kind of experience without some problems. They did their best to comfort him, and to keep his spirits up.

"How ya holding up there, Beastboy?"

"Hey Beastboy! I heard where the Joker tried to break you and couldn't do it! Guess he didn't know how tough folks around here are, huh?"

"They're gonna be all right, kid, don't you worry"

Beastboy smiled and nodded and made all the appropriate responses. And then went right back to worrying.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity (but was only ten minutes) the four Titans emerged from the building. They were scuffed and tired, and Robin was holding his side as though it pained him, but they were all right. Raven walked up to hims and gave him an approving nod.

"Good. It seems I can trust you to listen to reason and stay out of danger"

He gave a smile "Rae if I cared at all about staying out of danger, I wouldn't have ever spoken to you or told you a single joke. Is that what you want?"

Raven snorted "Oh, I didn't mean it like that, Gar. Feel perfectly free to court danger that way- just be warned that it may be more dangerous than you know."

"Danger's my middle name, Rae. Well, no, actually it's Mark, but Danger sounds cooler."

Cyborg chuckled at the scene and called out "hey, if y'all are done flirting, can we get back to the Tower? Gar and I haven't played video games together in almost a month!"

Beastboy started and did some quick mental arithmatic "Holy Nintendo, Cyborg! You're right! Quick chum, to the Tower!" he cried, and took to the air. Cyborg raced to the T-Car, laughing hysterically.

Behind them, Robin ground his teeth. "I really wish they would stop making those damn jokes."

* * *

Beastboy was battered, bleeding, but not yet beaten. He'd seldom faced an opponent who could dish out pain the way this one could, yet he remained determined that he would prevail! "You're going down Rustbucket!"

"Phht! As if, green bean! Your health meter is almost empty, your supermove meter IS empty, and I'm about to deliver your knockout punch!"

The green teen smirked, one of his fangs peeking out from his lip. Tapping out a complex series of commands on his controller, he unleashed a devastating six0hit combo, which not only drained Cyborg's fighter almost to death, but left the pixelated pugilist dazed and unresponsive. Cyborg could only watch in horror as the changeling wound up to deliver the killing blow…

…only to be interrupted as the television went black. Raven stood beside the set, holding the power cord in one dainty hand. "Garfield, it's time for our meditation." She droned "Meet me on the roof in five minutes."

Beastboy sat with his mouth open, until he finally found his voice "RAE! I was just about to win!"

"And I'm about to lose my temper. You. Roof. Five minutes." His girlfriend said, as she walked away.

"Well, good match Kiwihead" Cyborg said, as he rose from the couch "of course, since I had a sliver more life left than you did, I win by default. The Champ retains his belt for another day, I guess."

Beastboy grumbled to himself as he went to his room to get ready.

* * *

It was another beautiful afternoon in Jump City, and the roof of Titan's Tower afforded a wonderful view. As he often did these days, Beastboy gave a small prayer of thanks for having survived to see it once more. Raven sat in the middle of the roof, surrounded by a large circle of multi-hued crystals of varying sizes. Beside her was a small, green hand mirror. She waved him over.

"Thank you for being so prompt, Garfield." She said as he sat down next to her "Today, I will teach you the basics of meditation but be warned: it's not as easy as it looks. Do you have anything to say before we get started?"

Beastboy sheepishly rubbed the back of his head "Just one thing, Rae. Do you think we could stay up here a while after we finish? I'd kinda like to enjoy the view with you…privately"

"Hmmm…Are you surreptitiously asking me for more displays of affection?"

"Er, yes?" the shapeshifter replied uncertainly. "Depending on what surreptitiously means"

"I see" Raven said, with a trace of humor in her voice "Well, I may be able to indulge you this time, but don't count on it occurring every day. I don't want to spoil you, after all."

Grinning broadly, the changeling sat down beside the empath.

"the first thing to do" she said, assuming the lotus position "is to clear your mind of thought. There are many ways to do this- I personally focus on my chant to the exclusion of everything else. But you can use any phrase or word that you wish. The important part is that you focus on it totally."

"Would a song be all right? There's one I know that means a lot to me"

"Yes, providing it's not too complicated. Now, I don't expect you to manage success the first time- it takes a good deal of practice before one can attain the right state of mind. Just do your best. I will open my mind, so that I can monitor your progress."

Raven closed her eyes, and a moment later they shot open again as her face went bright red. With a great deal of effort, she managed to keep all emotion from her voice as she said "Garfield, I told you to clear your mind not cast it into the gutter"

Beastboy blushed and shrugged "Sorry, Rae, but I'm a teenaged boy alone on the roof with a gorgeous young girl. Some thoughts are hard to avoid, y'know?"

Slightly mollified the empath resumed her meditative stance "Yes, well, see that you avoid them in future when my mind is open."

Beastboy closed his eyes, and began to softly sing. Raven had expected him to choose a pop song, or something of that sort. Instead, he was singing well in a language she didn't recognize. After making a mental note to ask him about it later, she opened her mind. Beastboy's mind was more placid than normal, but still not truly quiet. After a half an hour she tapped him on the shoulder.

He opened his eyes and looked at her sadly "I tried my best, Rae, but I couldn't keep my mind free of thoughts. I'm sorry"

Raven gave him a small smile. It was as beautiful as all the others he'd ever gotten from her, and Beastboy became even more determined to one day get a full fledged smile from her. "I told you Gar" she said quietly "I didn't expect you to manage it your first time. It takes practice to reach a true meditative state, and for a first timer you did very well. Tell me, what was it you were singing? It was beautiful, but I didn't recognize the language"

Beastboy shook his head "It would surprise me if you did, Rae. It's an dialect of Swahili that I picked up in Africa. The song was one my mom used to sing to me at bed time. It's all about how a little boy is safe in his bed, but having fantastic adventures in the world of dreams"

"That sounds like a nice lullaby." Raven said, knowing that Beastboy was often sensitive about his birthparents.

"It was" he said sadly, and changed the subject. "Now, I believe a display of affection was mentioned earlier?"

Meditation was quickly forgotten, needless to say, in favor of more earthly concerns.


	12. Chapter 12

Robin walked into the Detention Area of the Tower, looking for Cyborg. The two had decided to begin Beastboy's isolation treatment today, and after some discussion had realized a small flaw in the plan. There were few rooms in the massive structure which could contain the young shape shifter if he wished to leave. Even if the room was indestructible, the green boy could become a microscopic creature and easily leave. However, after some thought, they realized there was one place in the Tower which could hold Beastboy- Holding Cell Omega.

The Omega Cell had been designed to hold any and all villains, regardless of their abilities or superpowers, for an indefinite period of time. It was built of reinforced titanium, and was airtight with its own small air recycling system to prevent suffocation. It was also constructed of Psi-Inert materials, preventing any mental emanations (supernatural or otherwise) from escaping the cell- which meant that Raven wouldn't be subjected to any discomfort Beastboy might experience. As an added bonus, it was designed to shut out all external stimuli- essentially rendering the inmate blind and deaf, should such be required. The only draw back to the system was that it was untested. The Titan's had not yet used it in real life- most of their villains were either handed over to the police immediately after capture or were easily contained in more conventional cells. However, it remained their best bet.

Robin found the cybernetic hero performing a maintenance check on Omega Cell's air system. "So where's our patient?" The Boy Wonder asked "Wasn't he playing games with you?"

"Yeah, 'til Raven unplugged the TV and dragged him to the roof for meditation" Cyborg said, as he checked the motor of the recycler. "They've been up there a couple of hours now, though, and since Raven said they'd only be meditating an hour or so a day, you gotta figure they're, uh, enjoyin' their privacy"

Robin chuckled and shook his head. "If I'd told you a year ago that those two'd be up on the roof making out, you'd have called me a liar."

"No" Cyborg said with a broad smile "I'd have called you an ambulance, and had you checked for concussion. Still, I gotta say, they both seem happy enough. How's Cassie doing in Gotham?"

Robin sighed "She's slowly getting better. She buried herself in the Job for a while, bringing down the villains who were still at large. But eventually, she ran out of Rogues to whale on, and had to deal with her feelings. Oracle tells me she spent a lot of time crying, and listening to that CD Beastboy gave her. She's getting better, though. Listen, Cy… you know I think of you as my second-in-command, right?"

"Yeah?" Cyborg said, bending down to look underneath the unit.

"Yeah. Anyway, I need your help making a decision. We…we may need to think about replacing Beastboy." A loud clang echoed through the Detention Area, as Cyborg slammed his head into the underside of the recycler. Robin continued quickly "It'd only be temporary, until he gets over these issues. But right now we're two Titans down. Beastboy can't go out, and we can't leave him alone either so someone has to watch him."

Cyborg nodded, slowly "yeah, I guess you're right. We can't bring him into battles and telling him to sit it out. For one thing, a big battle doesn't have clearly defined sidelines- he could get dragged in if he's anywhere near by. Who were you thinking of bringing in?"

"We'll decide that as a team. But I need you to back me up on this, man. It's going to be an ugly moment- Beastboy's not going to want to step down, and Raven's not even going to want to discuss this. I need you to back me, and we're going to have to be firm."

"All right, Rob. If you're sure its for the best, I'll back you one hundred percent. In exchange, you have to be the one to go get the young lovers- and don't send Starfire, either!"

Grumbling, the Titans leader left the robotic teen to his work, and headed for the elevators. Robin fearlessly made his way to the roof, enduring the long elevator ride by making a small bet with himself. He knew that Raven wasn't a physical person, and that despite appearances, Beastboy was actually quite shy when it came to romance. For this reason, he wagered with himself that he would find the two holding hands while looking at the view, or perhaps kissing rather chastely. He assumed they would be too timid for anything more than that.

It would have been to his benefit to remember what happens when one Assumes.

* * *

When the elevator door opened on the Tower's roof, the Boy Wonder stepped out and stopped dead in his tracks. In the center of the roof lay the supposedly timid couple. Raven lay atop Beastboy, and was passionately kissing her green boyfriend, her small hands holding his head in place. Beastboy's hands roamed across her back, never venturing into any risqué areas but never leaving her body either. Robin stood transfixed for a second or two, blushing furiously, before the elevator chimed loudly.

Instantly, the empath and the changeling flew apart. Raven immediately pulled up her hood to obscure her face, as she moved as far away as she could from Beastboy. The green boy, for his part, blushed deeply and sat up, carefully positioning his leg to hide his arousal.

"We…uh…we're r-ready downstairs. For the treatment." Robin stammered, feeling like a moron.

"Oh, yeah." Beastboy said, just as awkwardly "The treatment. Rae, you… Rae?" He turned around, scanning the roof. But the dark girl had already vanished. Turning back to his leader, Beastboy growled "Thanks, Rob. Rest assured, Traffic Light, I WILL get you for this."

Back in the Detention Area, the Titans assembled outside of the Omega Cell, while Robin explained the plan. Raven (still wearing her hood) stood at a distance from the others, still embarrassed from what had happened on the roof. The pair had begun with normal kissing, but at some point Beastboy had lost his balance and fallen over backwards. Normally, she would have stopped kissing long enough to pull her boyfriend back up. But her emotions (especially Brave and Lust) had been especially active, and so she had simply settled on top of him and continued regardless. She had lost track of time for a while, until the elevator had announced that they weren't alone.

'Damn it, Raven' she admonished herself 'See what happens when you let your emotions control your actions? There's a reason you were taught to control yourself!' She vowed to have a serious talk with her emotions later, and resumed listening to Robin.

"- is why we had to use the Omega Cell for this. Now, Beastboy, here's what we plan to do. We're going to put you in the cell for five minutes. During those ten minutes, you will be completely isolated from the outside world- like in a sensory deprivation tank. Do you think you can handle it?"

Beastboy drew in a deep breath, and stepped through the doorway into Omega Cell. The cell was completely white, with no furnishings save a metal chair in the center of the room. He moved to the chair and sat down. "Ready as I'll ever be, Robby"

The door slowly swung shut. Total darkness and complete silence reigned in the cell.

'After all' Beastboy thought to himself 'How bad can it be?'

A/N

Yes, Beastboy is in for a rather rude awakening.


	13. Chapter 13

Darkness. Complete and total darkness filled Omega Cell. Beastboy sat in the chair and tried to remain calm.

'Okay, The Joker is a thousand miles away, in Arkham' he told himself 'You're alone in here- you know that. The cell was empty when you came in and no once can get in once the door is sealed. So you're safe. You're safe and there's nothing to be scared of.'

The young hero tried desperately to keep from panicking, as he sat alone in the dark room. It wasn't easy- his mind filled the silent void with small menacing sounds. First, he swore he could hear someone breathing loudly in the corner of the room. Then, he heard the sounds of movement- rustling clothes, soft footsteps, the creaking of leather- coming from all around him. It was enough to unsettle anyone.

Then his nose began reporting odd smells. Beastboy had come to rely on his superhuman sense of smell, and found it to be a useful warning system, but now it was reporting things he knew were impossible. He was SURE he could smell rotting meat, dried blood, human waste and mildew- the odors of the Joker's torture chamber. Occassionally, he caught a whif of the mad clown's cologne- a sort of musky, flowery smell.

Still, he was doing all right, until a flash of white caught his attention. Slowly, dramatically, the Joker stepped out of the shadows. His white skin practically glowed in the total darkness of the cell, and his wide grin seemed even whiter than normal. He moved through the darkness with perfect confidence and certainty; as though he could see perfectly. Beastboy's rational mind briefly screamed that this wasn't possible- that even if the Joker were here, he wouldn't be visible and he would be blind. But in the face of sheer terror, reason has little power.

"Well, BB, did you enjoy your little vacation?" the malevolent mountebank said, in the same tones a coworker might use to ask about the weekend, "Did you have fun with all your little friends? Did that little gray girl comfort you? She looks like a real…fun…girl, am I right?"

"You- You aren't here!" The boy cried out, as he struggled to keep his animal instincts in check "You're locked up in Arkham!"

"I AM?" The mad clown sounded surprised, and brought a hand up to his cheek to emphasize his shock "Huh. I hope my agent got me a good guest-appearance fee. That's one hell of a trip to make, and I AM a star after all. Anyway, BB, if I'm not here then you won't feel THIS!" The Joker produced a pen knife from inside his jacket and plunged it into the green boy's hand.

Beast Boy howled in pain, a howl which quickly changed to a primal roar as the Beast took control of his body. The Beast leapt from the chair, changing from the puny form of its host to its own powerful shape, and lashed out at its one time tormentor. Despite the incredible speed of its attack, the laughing enemy dodged effortlessly and continued its mocking laughter. The Beast raged against its foe, slashing and tearing at it to no avail. All the while, the hateful laughter echoed throughout the room.

* * *

Outside, Cyborg frantically adjusted the Detention Area's sensor monitor, hoping that what he was seeing was just a glitch. According to the instruments, Beastboy's pulse had tripled abruptly and his metabolic rate had skyrocketed. His body temperature had risen significantly as well. Cyborg double checked the sensors, hoping against hope that they were malfunctioning- that his buddy was not in trouble because of them. When he confirmed that the machinery was in fact working perfectly, he called the other Titans in from the hallway, where they had been waiting uneasily for the last four and a half minutes.

"What is it Cyborg?" Raven said, as she raced through the door. She'd had a bad feeling about this whole idea- not a premonition, just a nasty feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Beastboy's body has gone into overdrive" The metal man responded as he rummaged through the first aid cabinet, which was directly behind the instrument console. "I think he's turned into the Beast again- we've got to get ready to… AH! Here it is!" He took out a small hypodermic needle, wrapped in plastic.

"Friend Cyborg" Starfire asked "What is that? And why are you so pleased to have found it?"

"After our first encounter with Ol' Saladhead's nasty side, I got to thinking. We had no guarantee that my antidote was going to be a permanent cure or that such a cure was even possible. So I started looking at ways to at least incapacitate Tall, Dark and Rabid without doing hum any lasting harm."

"And you think that stuff will work?" Robin asked, eyeing the small hypodermic dubiously.

"Man, didn't anyone ever tell you it's not the size of your needle but how you use it?" Cyborg said with a grin, as he moved towards the door to Omega Cell. "Raven, I'm going to need your help. The second the Beast comes through that door, I want you to lift it about a foot and a half off the ground. That way at least it won't be able to get away, and it won't be able to reach any of us. Star, I need you to guard the door and make sure that, if this goes wrong, he doesn't get out of the Detention area. Rob, hit the switch to open the cell when we're all set. Everyone ready"

The gray girl gave a terse nod, and her eyes began to glow white. "Ready."

Starfire took her position in front of the esit "I too am in a state of readiness"

Robin moved to the cell door. "Ready"

Cyborg raised the needle "Okay, on three. One. Two. THREE!"

The cell door slid back, hissing slightly. For a moment, there was silience. Then, with a bellow, the Beast emerged from the cell. It's huge form was slick with sweat, and it's chest was heaving- but despite it's obvious exhaustion, it bolted for the door, too fast for any human (or part-human) to react. Starfire, however, was not human and she met the monster's charge head on. A fierce uppercut sent the green giant reeling backwards, and gave Raven enough time to seize it with her telekinesis. Cyborg moved in cautiously, careful to avoid the Beast's flailing limbs. After a moment, he found an opening and plunged the needle into the monster's leg.

At first, there was no change- the Beast continued to rage suspended in midair. Soon, however, it's movements became slower and slower, eventually stopping. It's eyes drooped closed. The massive monster slowly reverted to Beastboy, and Raven let him down to the floor.


	14. Chapter 14

The first thing Beastboy was aware of was light. Sweet, blessed light- light that dispelled shadows and darkness and hallucinations. He vowed to never again take the light for granted. Then he became aware that he was strapped down- he could feel the restraints against his limbs and joints. With a sigh he looked down, mostly to confirm what he already suspected. Sure enough, he was once again strapped to his bed in the infirmary- a clear sign that the Beast had gotten loose. He cast his mind back over the days events to determine what had caused the outburst.

'Let's see…got up, showered, had breakfast. There was the call to stop Cinderblock but I stayed out of that one' he thought to himself, his eyes on the ceiling. 'Then we got back and I nearly beat Cyborg before Rae pulled the plug. Um…went up and tried to meditate, then made out with Rae for a while. Robin interrupted us…and I really need to get him back for that…uh, went down to the holding cells…'Memories of the nightmarish visions he'd had flooded his mind, causing him to shudder. 'Bingo' he thought.

In search of something to distract him, he looked around the room. He saw that, once again, Raven had fallen asleep waiting for him to wake up. She had her head to one side and was drooling slightly, and her hair was in total disarray.

With a smirk, he leaned over and kissed the pale empath on the cheek. Instantly, her eyes flew open, going from slumber to full wakefulness in under three seconds. She straightened quickly, and wiped a hand across her face. "Beastboy" she said in her usual monotone "If you ever reveal what you just saw, rest assured it will be the last thing you ever do"

"And a very good morning to you as well, Rae" Beastboy chirped "So, now I've seen your morning face, eh?"

"Looks like. You have now seen me at my very worst." Raven confirmed "Happy now?"

"Yeah. Cause you know what, Rae? Even your morning face is gorgeous" the green changeling said with a smile. The empath blushed deeply, and raised her hood.

"The others are outside waiting- I'll go tell them you're awake. Get dressed quickly, we've got a lot to talk about."

* * *

A few minutes later, all five of the Titans were seated in the common room. Starfire and Beastboy were drinking hot cocoa, Robin and Cyborg sipped coffee and Raven contented herself with herbal tea. "So, I guess that was a wash, huh? I mean, I lasted all of five minutes?" the green teen said, with a self-deprecating chuckle.

Robin set down his mug. "No, it wasn't a wash Beastboy. The whole point of this exercise was for you to face your fears. Granted, I thought you'd be able to last ten minutes, but it just shows how badly you suffered. We'll keep the lights on next time, and shorten the time you're in the cell. That is, if you're still willing to go through with it?"

Beastboy hesitated. A large part of him wanted to say no, to say that he didn't think it would help. But another, more primal, part of him refused to look weak in front of his team (pack) or in front of Raven (mate). So Beastboy nodded and said "But not tomorrow, okay Robby? Gimme a little time to recover, huh?"

"Yeah" Robin shifted uncomfortably. This was probably as close to a good time as he was ever likely to get. "While we're talking about you're recovery, Beastboy, there's something we all need to discuss. Beastboy, I hope you don't feel insulted when I say that you aren't really contributing a lot right now"

The changeling laughed bitterly "Why should I? It's true"

"Er, right" Robin said "Now, we all know that that is just temporary. But in the meantime, we're down two teammates. You can't go out into the field and you can't be left alone. We need to think about bringing in someone else, as…"

Robin got no further in his sentence, because Raven leapt to her feet- her eyes glowing white. "So that's how it works, huh? One of us has a problem, and instantly you start looking for a replacement? Do you care for him at all? God, are we anything but soldiers to you?!"

The lights above them exploded, and Robin started sweating. He'd known this was going to be bad, but he'd never thought it would be this bad.

Surprisingly, it was Starfire who soothed the raging half-demon, moving close and placing a hand on Raven's shoulder. "Friend Raven, do not be angry. Boyfriend Robin cares deeply for all of us, and he does not wish to replace Beastboy- we are a family. But we are also warriors, and we must be at full strength in order to battle the forces of evil. Thus, we must bring in someone to fight in Beastboy's stead until he has recovered from the most hateful Joker's abuse"

Beastboy grasped the gray girl's other shoulder "They're right, Rae. We have to do what's best for the city. And that means having a full team, ready to fight. I don't mind it, really"

Raven sat down, still glaring but without any flare-ups from her powers. "I suppose you're right. All right, who were you thinking of?"

"Actually" Robin said, relieved at the turn this was taking "I thought of taking two members. That way, we'll always have five people ready for the field. First, I thought of Jinx and Kid Flash- we know their abilities and I trust Kid Flash with my life. I trust Jinx too, but less so."

Cyborg shook his head "No chance, Robbie. I've been in touch with Jinx ever since we buried the Hive Four at sea. Kid Flash is busy in Central City, and anyway she thinks they're going to break up before too much longer"

"Good news for you, eh Cy?" Beastboy said with a smirk. "The Love Vulture circles his prey!"

"Man, shut up!" Cyborg said, blushing a bit in the face of his friends laughter. "I don't play like that, man. If they break up, I'll give her her space"

"…for all of five minutes" Raven interrupted, her voice as deadpan as usual but a smirk on her face.

"SHUT UP!" the half-metal teen howled.

"AHEM!" Robin said "Anyway, next up I actually thought of asking Fang and Kitten back. Fang is an able combatant, much more powerful and versatile than he looks. I've kept an eye on them and it really does seem like they've gone straight."

Starfire now shook her head "I fear that this is not the good idea, Boyfriend Robin. I have written often to Friend Kate, and she has told me much of their life together in Wiss-kon-zin. They are very happy there, and I do not think they would return"

Robin sighed. "Well, that takes care of my ideas. Anyone else?"

Raven slowly raised a hand "What about Batgirl? We've worked with her, trained with her, and we know we can trust her. I realize that it might be a strain for her to face Garfield again so soon, but I think she would be a very good choice."

Robin's eyebrows went up. "Wow, Raven. I, uh, actually considered bringing Cass back to the Tower but thought you might object. After, you know, the battle of the Beast…" his voice trailed off.

"Robin" Raven said briskly "I am neither a child nor an idiot nor a character in a poorly written drama. I can be relied on, I think, to behave like an adult, and I think Cassie can too. Gar loves me, and I trust him. That's the end of the matter as far as I am concerned."

"O-kay" Robin said "I'll contact Gotham and see if she is willing to come. Now for the other person. Any ideas?"

Starfire hesitantly put her hand in the air "Boyfriend Robin, is it truly a necessity to bring in another person? We have trained extensively to function as a team of four, have we not? Can we not try that, and then select a second person if it becomes necessary?"

Robin nodded slowly "I guess so, Star. It'll do for now anyway. Anything else before we go?"

Beastboy grinned broadly and nodded "Yeah, Rob. When are you going to take Star on an actual date? Isn't that what boyfriends do?"

The whole room went silent and all eyes turned on Robin.

A/N  
Holy Cliffhangers! How will the boy wonder escape this trap?


	15. Chapter 15

Robin- the Boy Wonder, apprentice of the Batman, leader of the Teen Titans- had faced many devilish and dangerous situations over the years. He had confronted many cunning and ruthless adversaries. Yet never had he felt as trapped as he did right now, pinned by his so-called friends question. His normally quick wit failed him- how could he explain not having taken the girl he loved out on a single date? He couldn't even explain it to himself! Yet his team-mates stared at him, silently demanding a response. Beastboy looked amused- no doubt this was the bastard's idea of payback for interrupting his roof-top makeout session with Raven- while Raven and Cyborg merely looked curious. He turned to Starfire, hoping for a reprieve from this trusted quarter. But no, her gaze held only curiosity and more than a little worry. He had to think fast.

For her part, Starfire was consumed with worry. True, Robin had said that he loved her, yet he had done nothing to show this apart from a single kiss. She knew that this was not regular for Earth couples, that it was normal for the male to initiate the dating rituals- the viewing of movies, the romantic dinner, the going out dancing, and so one. She had looked forward to these events, and had been disappointed when they failed to occur. Sometimes, at night, she would lie in bed and ponder what might be the cause for this. Perhaps, she thought, Boyfriend Robin was too busy? But no, he often had time to play the video games and to watch the movies on the Night of Movies. Or perhaps he was afraid to ask her? She had heard that some males feared rejection to the point of never making the attempt? But she had made her feelings clear. Eventually, she had begun to worry that perhaps Robin had not spoken truly when he said he loved her. She did not think he had lied, but perhaps he had only believed it to be love. Or perhaps, and this was worst of all, perhaps he was ashamed to be seen with her in public.

Starfire knew how badly she did not fit in among Terrans. She drank their condiments, she was unrestrained in her affections, she spoke in an odd fashion, and she looked very different. Perhaps Robin did love her but was ashamed to be seen with an alien. She could not even blame him for that, though the thought made her weep; she knew what a shock it would be to her family when she announced her relationship to an alien, and a commoner at that! Political matches aside, Tamaranians generally frowned on mating with aliens. So now, she waited to learn the truth, whatever it might be.

"Well, Rob?" Beastboy said with a smirk. He was oblivious to the turmoil he was causing, all he knew was it was Robin's turn to be uncomfortable. "Why haven't you and Star been out on a date yet?"

Robin desperately tried to think, and decided to fall back on something Batman had taught him. It was always better to take immediate action in an emergency, than to think of the perfect action when it was too late. "Uh, actually, I was er planning to ask her out tonight! Uh, Star, w-would you like to have dinner with me?"

Starfire beamed with happiness, a huge grin on her face. "Most certainly, Boyfriend Robin! I am certain it shall be glorious! Shall we say at nine of the clock?"

"O-Okay"

Beastboy smiled, content that Robin had finally done it and that the Boy Wonder had been suitably embarrassed. "Cool. Oh! Speaking of which… Rae, what time do you want to leave for our date?"

Raven was pleased that, in the midst of everything, the green boy had remembered their date. "I made our reservations for nine pm. It's almost five o'clock now, so I'd say we should leave in about two hours. That gives us time for a leisurely walk through the park- oh, and Robin? I'd prefer it if we went on separate dates. Beastboy and myself have a few things to discuss tonight, and I would prefer to do so privately"

Robin nodded stiffly, but cursed inwardly. He'd been hoping to talk Beastboy or Raven into turning it into a double date- since he really had no idea what he and Star would do tonight.

"Cool" said the changeling, hopping off the couch "Cy, ya mind coming with me to the room? I need your help with something"

Cyborg and Beastboy's new room was very different from either of their old rooms. It was cleaner than Beastboy's and less sterile than Cyborg's. It boasted a large closet, a small electronics lab, and a sixteen-inch TV, complete with a Gamestation 180- the new Gamestation 360 being reserved for the common room. As the two entered, Beastboy immediately headed for the closet. As he began laying out suits, he briefly explained his typical Pre-Date Ritual to his metal friend.

"So, that's it, Cy" Beastboy said as he examined two ties "Rae's already handled the Planning and Mapping stage for me, and she's said flat out she doesn't want me to wear the holoring, which eliminates Costume. So all I have left is Wardrobe and Grooming"

Cyborg absently fingered a while suit- it felt like silk to him- and remarked "This better not be leading up to a request for my help in the shower"

The changeling scowled "NO. I just need your help picking the right outfit- this place is supposed to be a bit dressier than Giacomo's without being a Black-tie and Tails deal. So I need a classy suit, but not TOO classy. So, whataya think?"

Cyborg shrugged "I ain't really the guy to come to for this, man. Fancy dress was never my forte- just like my dad, I'd rather go in my work clothes. Plus, since my accident, I haven't exactly had to worry about fashion."

Beastboy shrugged "You've still got good taste, and I trust your judgement. C'mon man, I've laid out what I think are the best choices- just pick which one you think is best"

Flattered by his friend's trust in his abilities, the metal teen took his time. He looked over the garments, fingered them, and eventually held up a dark blue pinstripe suit and purple tie. "This. I think it'll look good on you, plus the pinstripe is timeless. "

"Cool. Thanks, man. Now I'm off to the shower!"

"I'll alert the media" Cyborg said with a chuckle. 'All alone in the house. Hmmm… movie? Nah, think I'll grab my holoring and see what's happening in Clubland tonight. Gotta get out there some time, and besides, it's time I started scouting out the dating scene…"

In his room, Robin paced anxiously- what the HELL had he gotten himself into? The Boy Wonder had never been the spontaneous type- in his mind, all obstacles were best overcome through solid planning and preparation. How was he supposed to throw a date together in a few hours?  
'Calm down' he told himself, forcing his body to be still 'First things first, where to go. That Japanese place on 3rd? You know how to eat that properly, and Star's never had it. Plus, unlike most first-timers, she probably won't be too put off by raw fish- to her it's no more exotic than a cheeseburger. Best of all, no reservation necessary'

With that much settled, Robin gradually began to settle down. 'All right, now what to wear'. Throwing open his closet doors, and frowned. He didn't have much in the way of civilian clothes- he'd decided when he came to the Tower that he was leaving Tim Drake behind him, and Robin wore his uniform. Still, he'd had to take something- Alfred had been insistent on that. With uncanny foresight the butler had pointed out that in the event that he meet a girl "it would be advisable to have something other than tights to wear". For perhaps the hundredth time, Robin issued a silent prayer of thanks for Alfred Pennyworth. He selected a black T-shirt, and jeans, as well as a pair of wrap-around shades. Grinning into the mirror, he sat down to wait for nine o'clock.

* * *

At eight forty five, Tim Drake walked into the Common Room. Cyborg actually did a double take to see his leader in casual garb.

"Damn, man" the mechanized man said "I didn't even know you had civilian clothes! Lookin' good, too"

"Yup, wonder-boy cleans up pretty good" Beastboy said as he sauntered into the room wearing his suit "You'd never guess he spends most of his time looking like a human traffic light, eh Robin?"

Tim couldn't help but chuckle at that. He'd mostly forgiven Beastboy for getting him into this, and it was a legitimate comment. "Yeah, well, we didn't all take Fashion 101 with Elasti-Girl, Beastboy. And tonight, I'm Tim Drake, rakish boy-about-town"

"Boy-About-Town?" Raven said, as she walked into the room, wearing a long red dress and a black necklace "I'd say more like Boy-Almost-Grown, wouldn't you Gar?"

The other boys laughed at this, while Tim simply ignored it. "Where's Star?"

"I am here!" Starfire said as she swept into the room. The Titan's mouths dropped open as they took in her dress. Starfire wore a beautiful light pink gown, which ended just above her feet. Her hair was done up elaborately, clearly the result of many hours work, and her eyes sparkled blue. Concerned with masking her alien nature, she had decided to wear contacts. She paused when she saw how her date was dressed, and her heart sank. "Oh. I see I have erred, I thought the ritual of dating required the most elegant of garments."

Tim had no response, as his eyes had highjacked most of his cerebral energies. Raven saw this and sighed.

"No, Star- usually one does where ones best on a first date. It's Robin who made a mistake which I'm sure he's eager to correct. RIGHT ROBIN?" The last words were tinged with menace- the sort Raven normally reserved for phrases like "drop the gun and back away from the children".

"Uh, yeah" Tim stammered "I-I'll go change" In the pit of his stomach, he knew this date would not end well.

A/N  
I hope this satisfies those who've been asking for longer chapters. I want to say that I've thought through the plot for this thing and I think you're all going to enjoy it- heck, even without the Joker (he's just such a joy to write) I'm looking forward to writing it. Expect tension, drama, and an explanation for why Slade's been after the Titans. I think it will surprise you.

Now, for a different explanation. My choice of Tim Drake over Dick Grayson was based on several factors.

Appearance- The Tim Drake of comics and DCAU (DC Animated Universe) looks EXACTLY like the Robin of Teen Titans. They're both fairly short, with the same spiky hair- while Dick Grayson was portrayed as being almost Batman's height in the cartoons.

Costume: During his time as Robin, Dick wore the infamous green short shorts and elf boots. Tim's always worn long pants and more sensible footwear.

Age: By the time he joined the Titans, Dick was already in his late teens, 18 or 19 if I remember right. In the cartoon, Robin can't be much older than 16.

Romance- In my humble opinion Dick and Barbara Gordon are made for one another. Seriously, they're one of my favorite couples in comics, alongside Peter and MJ, Reed and Sue, and Joker and Harley. They've been flirting for years, and Dick proposed fairly recently. On the other hand, Robin and Starfire have definite chemistry on the show- and one would hope that would stay. The only way to reconcile these facts is by making Tim Robin.

Finally, some people have brought up Nightwing as proof that Robin is Dick. As I showed in Legacy of the Bat (READ IT! REVIEW IT!), an aging Tim would probably take on the Nightwing persona, while Dick would likely graduate to the cowl of Batman.

Long Reviews make me all tingly inside.


	16. Chapter 16

With a burst of psychic energy and black light, Beastboy and Raven appeared at the corner of Metcalf and Jabotinsky, a block and a half away from the Galaxy Room. Beastboy immediately took a deep breath, and wiped his brow.

"Rae" he said "I love you and all, but I don't think I'll ever get used to your method of transport. I vote we fly, next time."

"It's so cute the way you think this is a democracy" Raved said as she adjusted her hair "Are you ready?"

"Just one thing, Rae" Beastboy grabbed his girlfriend's arm and pulled her close. Ignoring her blush, he whispered in her ear "Promise me one dance?"

Raven twisted her body, and stuck out her hip in a perfect judo throw. Beastboy abruptly found himself lying on the ground, with no real knowledge of how he'd gotten there.

"First off, no PDA" Raven said, as if nothing had happened "Second, we'll see about dancing. Come on."

Slightly dazed, the changeling followed the empath down the street. After a minute or two, they arrived at the entrance to the Galaxy Room- and as befitted the newest, hottest, chicest restaurant in Jump City, they were met with a huge line. Beastboy was more than a little daunted by the sheer number of people seeking entrance- but Raven simply walked up to the headwaiter and cleared her throat.

"Roth, party of 2" she said, in a quiet and calm voice. The waiter looked at her, sniffed, and made a great show of checking the reservations.

" Ah ehm so-rree madam, but ah hev no record of Roth" At that point the man placed his hand, palm up, on the table. Raven, a long-time cynic, recognized a request for a bribe when she saw one and decided it would be easier to just give in than to make a scene. As reached for her purse, she felt Beastboy's hand grab her own. The green boy winked at her, then turned to the haughty waiter and unleashed a torrent of what sounded like extremely angry French. The older man paled, and waved them into the restaurant, seating them personally. He bowed deeply as the two youths took their seats.

As the man obsequiously rushed to bring them menus, the gray girl turned to her date. "All right, what did you say and how did you know enough French to say it?"

Beastboy shrugged and reached for a roll from the bread basket "I told him who we were, and asked him how he thought it would look to the papers that he had tried to blackmail the city's heroes. As for how I learned French…" the changeling sipped his water, and glanced over the menu "…my parents and I spent a lot of time in the Cote d'Ivoir- the Ivory Coast- and we used a lot of French. I picked up a lot more during Doom Patrol missions in Vietnam. I'm not really fluent, but I can get by- and since I learned a lot of my French from sailors and soldiers, I can blister paint with the words I know!"

Raven raised an eyebrow. "And yet you do so poorly at schoolwork. Well, what looks good?"

"You."

Raven blushed deeply and glared at her companion. "On the menu, Romeo. What looks good on the MENU."

"Eh, I'll just have soup and a salad. Not much here looks vegetarian friendly."

Beastboy waited as Raven perused the menu, and looked around the restaurant. The Galaxy Room certainly looked luxurious; the walls were wood-paneled, with large windows giving an excellent view of the bay. Dark red carpeting covered the floor, except for the spacious Dance Floor on the far side of the room. Most spectacular of all, however, was the lighting. Rather than conventional lights, the ceiling was covered in small pinpoints of light, arranged in the pattern of the constellations- more; they were set at such a level that the entire room seemed to be lit only by bright starlight. If ever a room had been designed for romance, this was probably it.

'Well' he thought 'Let's hope I'm up to the challenge. Which reminds me…'

"Hey, Rae? Back up on the roof, when you jumped off me… You were just embarrassed by the position, right? It- it wasn't me?"

Raven sighed and closed her menu. "Beastboy. I am in no way ashamed of our relationship. If I were, would I take you out to the most popular place in town? However, I did not wish my team mates to see us in such an…intimate pose."

"Oh" Beastboy relaxed slightly "So…we might do that again? Not right away, but at some point"

"Maybe" Raven smiled, slightly "if you're very good. Or I feel very bad."

Dinner was pleasant enough, with decent food and light conversation. Raven had the swordfish filet, while Beastboy enjoyed a garden salad and Vichyssoise. Eventually, the talk turned to a discussion of the ongoing repairs to the city- it seemed that the Joker had left a number of little surprises in various parts of the city- small bombs and traps to eliminate any survivors of his Grand Jest. Already, ten people had been killed, with many more injured. Eventually, Raven set her fork down and cleared her throat.

"Actually, Gar, that brings me to something I wanted to talk to you about. Why didn't you tell me how bad things were for you? Why did you try to hide it, not just from the team but from me?"

Beastboy grinned a touch sheepishly "I, uh, I didn't want you thinking I was a wuss. No one wants their girl to know when they're scared, Rae. It's stupid and moronic, but it comes with the territory. Guys don't like looking weak in front of their girls."

Raven snorted "Well, make sure it doesn't happen again. I only have so much patience for testosterone-fueled idiocy."

Beastboy laughed, and the meal continued peacefully, until the first strains of music wafted across the room. The band had just struck up a slow waltz, and couples rose from their tables and headed to the dance floor. The green boy wordlessly got up and extended his hand to Raven, who accepted it and allowed herself to be lead onto the dance floor. She didn't know quite what to expect- the changeling was normally renowned for his clumsiness, but on the other hand she still cherished the memory of the brief dance of their first date.

To her pleasant surprise, the changeling waltzed perfectly. The pair glided across the dance floor in near perfect sync, both with the music and one another. Raven gave into her emotions, and leaned her head against her boyfriend's chest, listening to the slow beat of his heart.

All in all, it was a perfect evening.

* * *

Cyborg prepared himself for a night on the town. He'd slipped on his holoring shortly after the couples left for their dates. He'd headed down to the secondary garage to select his ride- he loved the T-Car like anything, but driving it would defeat the purpose of disguising himself tonight. The secondary garage held a small fleet of civilian vehicles- sedans, vans, ambulances, and taxis- all indistinguishable from normal cars. It had been Robin's idea to have it, a notion he'd taken from his mentor. So far, the Titan's hadn't needed camouflaged transport during their cases, but better safe than sorry. Tonight, Victor Stone needed a sweet car to take out on the town. After a moment of contemplation, he chose a sky-blue convertible- flashy, cool and just different enough to attract attention.

He'd driven the car into the city, and been amazed at how the convertible handled. He made a note to himself to study the engine, and see if he couldn't alter his baby to match this level of responsiveness. He'd sped down to the section of Jump City known locally as BlueZone- after the first major nightclub to open there. BlueZone was the party center of the city, the area which held most of the bars and nightclubs. It had been mostly deserted for the holidays- the Joker's presence had killed the city's desire to party- but the citizens were out now, making up for lost time. The street was awash in bright neon light, and music could be heard in the streets.

After finding a place to park the car, Victor Stone stepped out into the night. He paused on the sidewalk, letting the music wash over him and trying to select the right club. A few years ago, he would have made a beeline to the busiest, hottest, noisiest club and perhaps another time he would do so again. But this was his first night out since he became Cyborg; he wasn't sure he was ready for that much yet, and anyway it wasn't right to go without his friends. This was more of a reconnaissance mission- to find out which clubs were fun and which weren't.

'The Red Room' he thought, reading the sign over one club 'Hmmm… nice name, nice music, not too crowded. Why not?'. The matter decided, he entered the club.

A/N

I actually forgot something when I wrote the Joker's Wild. I forgot to credit the story that inspired me to write it! It's called "Laughter is the Best Medicine" and it's on the Teen Titans Comics section on this site.

I've plotted this story out- and it's going to be LONG. I mean, we're fifteen chapters in and it's still the early stages of the plot! So, if anyone has to use the bathroom do it now- I'm not pulling over again later.


	17. Chapter 17

Robin knew the evening was going to be bad when the R-Cycle broke down. They had just reached Mid-Town when the bright red motorcycle began to make a variety of strange noises. Robin had cursed the machine, and prayed that it would at least hold out long enough for them to reach the restaurant. He did NOT want to walk a long way through MidTown while wearing formal wear. Nevertheless, the bike died some four blocks away from their destination.

Robin stood beside his fallen vehicle, silently cursing the Fates for this inauspicious turn of events. Starfire, for her part, was happy enough to walk through the city and let everyone see her with her Boyfriend. "Boyfriend Robin" she said "Should we not be hurrying?"

"Right, Star" Robin said, and forced himself to be optimistic. 'After all' he thought 'I'm out with the most beautiful, sweetest, and most wonderful girl in town. I'm taking her out for her first taste of Japanese cuisine, which I love. Every date has it's snag right? How much worse can the rest of the evening be?'

Robin found out how much worse it could be, when they arrived at the restaurant only to find that it was completely full. The manager was extremely apologetic- he stressed that if only they'd known that he city's heroes were on the way, they would have been more than happy to hold a table aside for them. As it was, however, the entire restaurant was full, and would remain so for the rest of the evening. The manager said that if Robin wanted, he could ask another couple to leave- but Robin couldn't let him do that; no matter how much he wanted Starfire to enjoy the evening, he couldn't kick someone out of their seat.

The couple exited the bustling restaurant, with Robin grinding his teeth in frustration. 'If only we weren't wearing these ridiculous clothes, we could go for a burger or pizza. But I can't take Star to some greasy spoon while she's wearing her best dress. She expects spectacular and I'll give it to her…GOT IT! The Shepherd's Rest, in the park! It's fancy enough for these clothes, and a stroll through the park is pretty romantic, right?'

"Star, how would you feel about a walk in the park? You, me, the stars and the moonlight?" He asked, doing his best to sound suave and in-control.

"Oh, yes" Starfire said, but without her usual childlike enthusiasm. Instead she sounded demure, enticing…sexy. Robin suddenly felt that the Shepherd's Rest was actually a much better choice- and that the R-Cycle breaking down was the best thing that could have happened to him.

'It looks like things are starting to look up' he thought… an instant before lighting split the sky and thunder crashed in the distance. 'Then again…'

It's not unusual for the weather to change suddenly in California's wintertime. In hindsight, Robin really should have been prepared for a storm- but he hadn't, and now he and Starfire raced down the street, vainly seeking shelter from the downpour. Eventually, thought, Starfire came to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk. Robin stopped the moment he saw she wasn't beside him and went back.

"Boyfriend Robin, I believe the running to be pointless now" Starfire said, with a sad smile "We are already soaked, and our clothes are ruined. It is still warm, we can simply walk to the park, yes?"

Robin found himself nodding. There really wasn't much point to running now, it was too late. Already, Starfire's hair hung limply around her face, her makeup was running, and her pink gown was unquestionably ruined. In fact… she reminded him of the way that Stephanie used to look, after a long night patrolling in the rain… he mentally shook himself and forced his mind back to the present.

"You're right, Star. No point in being tired as well as wet." The two resumed their journey to the park at a more sedate pace, ignoring the torrential rain as best they could.

Eventually, the storm ended, and the two found themselves walking through the park under the stars. Starfire stopped and sighed happily looking up at the heavens. "It is almost as though I were back on Tamaran" She said happily "My sister and I would often go out to look at the stars, especially after a storm."

Robin smiled. Starfire was so innocent, so pure. She could always see the good in any situation- kind of like Stephanie in that regard. Almost against his will, he found himself thinking of that strange smile his old girlfriend used to have- she would only use it when everything seemed to be going wrong. Like that time in Gotham's Lilith Park….

_It had been a long night for Robin and Spoiler. Poison Ivy was loose on the city, and all across Gotham, people were being poisoned by their own flowers. Naturally, Batman and his team were sweeping through the city's parks looking for the verdant villainess. On this particular night, Robin and Spoiler had been dispatched to search Gotham's smaller parks- Lilith, Millenium, Green Corner, Points… they had gone over them in minute detail, leaving no corner unexamined. All for nothing- there wasn't so much as a trace of Ivy._

_It had been a cold night, Robin remembered, with a biting wind that seemed to slice through their bodies to steal their warmth. Snow was falling gently, a light dusting of white, which would have been beautiful seen from inside. Right now, though, the Boy Wonder was too tired and too cold to consider snow beautiful_

_He'd turned to his girlfriend, intending to tell her the search was over for the night, when he saw her dancing in the moonlight. In the middle of the biting wind and snow, the Spoiler twirled and leaped with wonderous grace, moving to music that only she could hear. She wasn't the best fighter in Gotham, she barely held her own in fact- but right now, Robin had to admit the girl had natural grace._

_"Come on, Tim" she said in a tired voice and he knew, he just KNEW, that she was giving him that smile beneath her mask. "Let's dance. The stars are so beautiful don't you…"_

" …think? Robin?" Starfire tapped her boyfriend on the shoulder. "Robin, do you not think the stars are beautiful?"

Shaking his head, the Boy Wonder forced all thoughts of Stephanie Brown from his mind and managed an awkward smile "Yeah. Especially the one in front of me"

Starfire blushed prettily and giggled "Oh, I am all of the fluster. Let us make haste to the eatery of the park"

The date did not improve once they reached the restaurant. The waiter informed them that a fine dining establishment such as the Shepherd's Rest required reservations- and when Robin tried to use his heroic identity to gain admission, the man had only sniffed. Heroes such as Robin and Starfire, he said, would not arrive rain-soaked and bedraggled, nor would they try to use their status to cut ahead of the line. Robin had been prepared to fight, but felt Starfire tugging on his sleeve.

"Please, Robin, it does not matter to me where we dine- only that we are together"

From anyone else, Robin would have dismissed the statement as an attempt to spare his feelings. But he knew the alien girl well enough to know this was nothing but truth. He sighed, and ran a hand through his soaked hair. The two heroes exited the restaurant, and walked silently through the park. Eventually, Robin's conscience forced him to speak.

"Star, I- I'm really sorry. This whole evening has been a catastrophe- just one disaster after another. You deserve better than this- but the truth is, I'm really not very good at improvising. I work best when everything's planned out in advance and I really didn't have much time to plan."

"Boyfriend Robin, do not be worried. It is true that this was not what I hoped for from a first date, but in truth I have greatly enjoyed being alone with you. Perhaps…" the alien girl's eyes lowered and she tilted her head coyly "…before we head home, you might give me the kissing for a good night?"

Slowly, Robin closed the distance between them, angling his head up to accommodate Starfire's height. He closed his eyes…

And an image of Stephanie, her mask removed and her face ready for a kiss flashed into his mind. At the last moment he ducked his head to one side. Starfire, who had been moving in, stumbled when her advance met nothing but air. She looked at Robin with a hurt look, which contained more than a small amount of curiosity.

"I-I can't do this, Star. N-not now."

"Boyf- Friend Robin" Starfire said, and Robin winced at his demotion to Friend. "I do not understand. We have kissed before, and it was not a problem."

Robin sighed, and wished to heaven this conversation was not happening. "Star, all night, I've been thinking of Stephanie"

"Your last girlfriend?" Starfire said, and some of the pain left her face. Robin, however, did not see this.

"Yes, I'm sorry. It's just- we weren't really TOGETHER when she died, but we hadn't really broken up either. And….I guess, in my mind, we're still together. Not in my heart!" He hastened to add "But…we never really broke up, you know? And I think a part of me feels that loving you is somehow cheating on her."

"But you do love me?" Starfire said, her voice contemplative now.

"More than anything Star. NEVER question that." Robin turned to look at the Tamaranian girl who'd stolen his heart, and was surprised to see a small smile on her face.

"T'lalik" She said, as if this explained everything. Seeing Robin's confusion, she elaborated "Tlalik is the Tamaranian word for what you are going through. In literalness, it means 'Between loves'- it means that time when you have not finished one relationship, yet have already given your heart to another. It does not mean the cheating- more like…like…moving from one stage to another? Changing?"

"Transition?" Robin supplied

"Perhaps. I should have expected this from what Friend Cassie told me. You love me, yet you never formally finished your relationship with Stephanie. I should not have allowed our friends to push you into the dating- I should have trusted you to initiate things when you were ready."

"So… what do I do?" Robin said, his voice full of confusion. "What's the cure for Tlah- Leek?"

"You must make peace with your previous love. Normally this is done at the grave- it gives closing." Starfire said, as she sat down on the muddy earth and patted the ground beside her. Robin obediantly sat.

"Well, I don't know when I can do that. We have to help Beastboy first, and then we'll have to get the city back to normal. It could be a while, Star"

Starfire smiled brightly, and to Robin it felt as though the sun was emerging from the clouds. "It is no matter. All things worth having are worth the waiting. In the meantime, please, tell me about this girl."

"Stephanie? She was amazing, a lot like you really…" Robin put one arm around her shoulders as he spoke. Starfire listened, partly to comfort her beloved and partly from genuine interest. It wasn't quite what she'd hoped for when the evening began, but it was good enough for now.

* * *

Deep within the bowels of Arkham Asylum, Jervis Tetch sat in his cell, reading a copy of Psychology Today that Crane had leant him. It wasn't his favorite magazine, but in Arkham any reading material was better than none. Besides, there was an article on hypnotic suggestion that promised to be very interesting indeed. Every so often he winced as his injuries pained him- Arkham was cold and damp this time of year, and his side still hurt from Batman's ferocious kick. He didn't see why the Bat had been so angry, he and Alice had barely finished their tea when he arrived. The doctors here at Arkham had bandaged him up fairly well, when he came in. At least, he was fairly sure it was Arkham. It seemed like Arkham, most of the time- but then it would suddenly look like a massive garden, or the Queen of Hearts palace. It was all very confusing- he wished his surroundings would decide on what they were…

A lound noise indicated that someone was sliding back the bolts on his door. Jervis glanced at his clock- it was seven AM, too early for him to be taken to breakfast. This meant a change in routine- which could be very good for him. The guards here were never comfortable outside their established routine, and if one of them should slip up…

The door opened, and a woman he didn't recognize stepped into his cell. She appeared to be a doctor- white labcoat, clipboard, and black hair done up in a severe bun. She spoke in a clipped no-nonsense tone. "Jervis Tetch, I presume?"

Tetch was intimidated by women in general, and this one seemed particularly frightening. He took refuge, as he often did, in the works of Lewis Carroll. "I--I hardly know, sir, just at present-- at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then."

The woman gave a small smile at that, and nodded her head. "Hmm… Alice in Wonderland…Alice to the Caterpillar. Chapter…Five?" Jervis nodded his head, more enthusiastically this time. He loved a woman who knew her Alice. "I think that qualifies as a yes then. My employer wishes to speak to you mister Tetch, and he's arranged…well, let's just call it early parole, shall we? Follow me, please…"

A/N  
I like the Hatter, really I do, but I always thought he'd be too hard to write for. All those Alice quotes and rhymes. Then I saw an issue of that Gotham Police Department comic, one that featured Tetch, and it really helped. One of the cops asked a doctor if Tetch always spoke in rhyme. The doctor gives him a Look and replies "No, he's insane, not retarded". Made things a damn sight simpler for me, let me tell you.

Don't expect to see mister Tetch again for a while though. I've still got a bit to do before that.


	18. Chapter 18

Beastboy woke up early the next day out of sheer force of habit. It was Thursday, and Thursday was normally his day on patrol. He was halfway dressed before he remembered that he was no longer allowed out on patrol. He decided against going back to bed, and headed to the bathroom for a shower, stopping at his room to pick up a small timer. Since he wasn't able to keep track of time while in the shower, he had bought a timer to ensure that he didn't spend all day in the comforting oblivion of soap and water.

Twenty minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom feeling markedly better. Ever since the Joker had captured him, Beastboy felt as though he were unclean somehow. Showering made the feeling go away, if only briefly and hence he always felt best right after his shower. When he reentered his room to put his towel away, he glanced at the clock- six fifteen. Smiling, Beastboy decided to surprise his friends by making breakfast.

He entered the kitchen, and was surprised to see Robin sitting at the table sipping coffee. "Hey, Romeo, how'd the date go? You and Star have a nice time."

"Beastboy, sit down" Robin said, his tone serious but not angry. When the green boy was seated, Robin looked him in the eye before speaking. "What you did to me yesterday was rotten. I know, I know- I interrupted you with Raven, but this is different. I still have a lot of issues regarding my last girlfriend, issues I have to work out before I can really start a relationship with Starfire. How would you have liked it if I'd pressured you to go out with Raven soon after Terra's…last stand?"

Beastboy was shocked "Rob, I swear, I didn't know!"

Robin smiled slightly "I know, Beastboy, which is why I'm telling you now. Star and I will start dating when we're ready- not before. Cool?"

"Yeah" Beastboy said, relieved that Robin had forgiven him "Don't worry, man, I'll tell the others to lay off. On pain of…pain" he finished lamely, which caused the masked boy to laugh. "Say, Rob, I gotta ask something- when we first started the team, you were burying yourself in the whole Robin Role, to avoid pain from your ex, right?"

The Boy Wonder nodded, unsure where his friend was going with this.

"But Star says you're not doing that anymore. So why are you still wearing the mask around the Tower?"

Robin sipped his coffee slowly before answering "Do you remember, just after Terra…left the team, how we searched the Tower? Do you remember how many hidden cameras Slade had planted? I'm not like the rest of you- I still have a civilian family."

Beastboy stood up so fast the chair he'd sat on fell over. "What the HELL does that mean?!"

"WHOA! Easy, man! I just meant…." Robin paused to compose his thoughts "Look, if somehow your identity got out, it wouldn't be a big deal, would it? You've got no parents, or cousins, or uncles or aunts who might be threatened. I do- my parents might be dead, but I have cousins in Ohio and Michigan who are prime targets for villains. Plus, if someone knows who Robin is, it's not really difficult to figure out who Batman might be."

Slowly, the changeling sat down again. "I hadn't thought of that. Still, it does suck that you have to walk around our home in a mask"

Robin snorted "Tell me about it. I have marks around my eyes where the mask digs in, and the less said about tan lines the better. As for my date…" The Boy Wonder filled his friend in on the details as Beastboy started cooking tofu eggs and facon. By the end of the story, the green teen was roaring with laughter.

"…and then we came back here, but not before a second storm soaked us again. Stop laughing, man. Star probably thinks I can't pull a nice date off if my life depended on it. It's no help that Raven keeps talking about the terrific dates you take her on. Seriously, man, what's the secret?"

"Planning, Robby, planning." Beastboy said as he flipped the eggs "The whole problem was that you didn't make plans, you tried to wing it. That's never been your strong suit- you work best when everything is planned out and settled. Tell ya what, come to my room this afternoon and I'll tell you the Logan Family Dating Strategy."

"Make it this evening" Robin said, as the changeling slapped the artificial bacon into the skillet "This afternoon, I have to call Gotham and see if Batgirl is willing to come help us out. It's not going to be easy, though- she's probably still hurting that you chose Raven over her."

At that moment, the others came into the kitchen- drawn by the smell of cooking food. Cyborg, upon seeing who was cooking, recoiled in horror.

"Ohhh no. NO. N-O." He declared "I am NOT eating that disgusting vegetarian stuff."

Beastboy turned to his best friend, an evil grin on his face. "Remember our deal, Cy? First one to the kitchen makes breakfast. Loser can cook for himself, but no one else."

Cyborg grimaced. In truth, he had agreed to that bargain for two reasons. First, Raven- who had grown increasingly tired of the Meat/Tofu battles- had been dangling them out the window until they made some agreement. Second, he'd honestly never thought Beastboy would get to the kitchen before him. But now he was stuck; there wasn't enough time for him to prepare a full breakfast before training began. With a scowl, the metal man sat down at the table with the others. As they ate, the Titan's discussed a number of matters. Robin summarized the day's training regimen, Cyborg groused about the food, and Starfire implored her friends to resume her cooking lessons. Eventually, the meal finished and the young heroes began their day.

* * *

Later that day, Robin sat in front of the Communication Array and tried to get in contact with Oracle. Oracle was believed by the public to be an Artificial Intelligence created by Batman to assist him and his team. In actuality, as Robin knew, Barbara Gordon had adopted the alias soon after being crippled by the Joker. Now, the former Batgirl aided the heroes of Gotham City by serving as an information broker and communications specialist. Eventually, he managed to get through, and the green face of the Oracle appeared on his screen.

"Who seeks to contact the All-Seeing Oracle?" the face demanded in a toneless, artificial voice

"Knock it off, Babs" Robin said with a grin "It's me"

A squeal of joy erupted from the screen and the Oracle was soon replaced by a WebCam image of Babs Gordon. Her hair was messy and her clothes were rumpled. Robin remembered that it was early morning in Gotham City. "TIM! I haven't heard from you in weeks! How are you? How's your friend- the one that" her smile changed to a scowl "The Joker captured?"

"He's getting better, Babs. Actually that's kind of the reason I called. Beastboy's still recuperating from the Joker's attentions- physically he's all right, but mentally-"

"Don't say another word" Barbara said, her voice brooking no disagreement "It took my father a long time to recover from what that maniac did to him, did to me. The Joker didn't even have him for a single night- I can't imagine how badly your friend suffered. What do you need?"

"We need Batgirl" Robin said "For the moment, Beastboy is effectively benched, and we're short handed. We need her bad, Babs. I know it won't be easy for her to come back…" His voice trailed off.

"Cassie is actually doing a lot better, Tim." Barbara said "It's been a couple of weeks now, and I think she's mostly over it- it was just a crush, I think. Still, I can't promise she'll come."

"I know that, Babs" Robin said "All I ask is that you try."

An hour later Barbara sat in her wheel chair, staring at Cassandra Cain. She had explained the situation to Cassie, taking pains to make it clear that the request was by no means an order- if Cassie didn't want to return to Jump City, she was free to say no. Eventually, Cassie stood up from the couch.

" I will go" she declared "Good of the city comes first. Will leave next week- have to set things up with Batman first. But not going alone"

* * *

The next week at Titan's Tower progressed the same as the weeks before. The heroes trained, they relaxed, they defended the citizenry from all those who sought to prey on them. Beastboy's recovery appeared to be going smoothly as well; he was able to meditate perfectly for up to an hour at a time, and he could spend up to twenty minutes in the darkened cell without any signs of fear.  
In truth, though things were less promising then they seemed. Thoroughly ashamed of his behavior during the first session in the cell, Beastboy now focused himself on getting through each session without flying into panic. He endured the same terrors and visions as he had in that first session, but now he kept himself from showing his terror. In short, rather than dealing with his problem he was merely enduring it. The meditation sessions weren't helpful either, but as Raven pointed out, they weren't intended as a cure. The Azarathian Mirror was almost ready, though, and then they could confront his fear head on.

One morning, Robin received a call from Cyborg. The metal man was on Patrol that day, and had just finished his first sweep of the city in the T-Car. Robin answered his communicator, expecting the worst. . He'd been sitting with Raven, as they watched the news. The Bird Pair, as they were called by their friends, were the ones most interested in current events- it was one of their few shared interests. While there'd been no mention of trouble on the local news, which didn't mean no trouble existed. "What's happening Cyborg? Is there a crime in progress?"

"No, no. Batgirl is here, Rob, but she's not alone."

Robin frowned in confusion. Cyborg had said Batgirl, not Cassie, which implied that she had arrived in costume. So who had come with her? "What do you mean?"

There was silence for a moment and then "There's an English dude named Pennyworth with her. Says he's here for an inspection. I'm almost to the Tower see you soon"

Raven turned to her leader with an arched eyebrow "Robin, who's this Pennyworth person? Robin? ROBIN? Robin, breathe. BREATHE ROBIN!"

A/N

I mentioned this before in Joker's Wild, and now I'm doing it.

Facon is Fake Bacon- often turkey or tofu. Pretty good, actually.


	19. Chapter 19

There are two kinds of panic- hot and cold. 'Hot' panic launches you into a frenzy of activity, a desperate attempt to avert the looming catastrophe. To use an analogy, the man who races across the street to save his son from a vicious dog may be said to have experienced hot panic. Cold panic, by contrast, comes when you know it is already too late to do anything, and so you are simply consumed by fear. To continue the analogy, the boy who sees the dog leaping at him and makes no move to run may be said to be in the throes of cold panic.

Right now, Robin could feel cold panic overtaking him. He felt like a deer caught in the headlights of a speeding truck- he knew he was doomed, but couldn't muster the willpower to do anything about it.

He looked around the common room; mere minutes ago it had seemed 'clean enough'. Oh there was an old pizza box on the table, a few stains on the couch, and no one had dusted for a few days but so what? They were teenagers, and besides the place just looked lived in. But with word of Alfred's imminent arrival, it became maddeningly clear that the room was in no way clean enough. Worse there was no time to tidy up; although he might be able to burn the place down… Shaking the last thought from his head, he went to the kitchen. Dirty dishes in the sink, crumbs on the table, burn marks on the ceiling (Starfire had, in the days before her cooking lessons, attempted a flambé) and a carton of milk on the counter. He moved through the Tower , checking each room for much the same reason a man with a bad tooth probes it with his tongue: to see how bad things really are.

His own room was a mess; newspaper clippings on every wall, bed unmade, a half-stocked utility belt on the table. Starfire's room was a bit better: despite the stuffed animals on the floor, everything seemed clean. Raven had installed a lock on her door, so he was unable to see her room. Finally, he came to Beastboy and Cyborg's room. With a shudder, he opened the door. Surprisingly, this was probably the neatest room of all. True, there were clothes on the floor but they were carefully relegated to one corner of the room- Robin guessed this was where Beastboy kept his laundry. Apart from that, the room was quite neat- Cyborg and Beastboy had worked out a system that let them keep their quarters clean. Feeling marginally better, or at least resigned, the Boy Wonder headed back to the Common Room, where he saw that Alfred had already arrived. He noted in passing that Batgirl was seated on the couch with an amused look on her face, and that the other Titans were assembled as well, but his attention was drawn to the elderly man.

The English man stood in the center of the Common Room, looking about him with an air of resigned distaste. He was, as always, impeccably dressed; he wore a dark suit, crisp white shirt and blue-gray waistcoat. Atop his head sat an immaculate bowler hat, and in his hand was a long umbrella- the point of which he used to spear a soda can that had been on the floor. He brought the can up to eye level before turning to regard the Boy Wonder.

"Master Timothy" Alfred said "I had hoped that, in all your time at Wayne Manor, you would have learned how to keep house better than this."

Robin forced a small laugh, and even in his own ears it sounded false. Somehow he couldn't bear to meet Alfred's gaze- he'd expected the butler to be angry, but instead he just sounded…disappointed. As if Robin had fallen short. "Well, you know, we're very busy…"

Alfred raised one eyebrow a fraction of an inch "Indeed. So busy, in fact that, not only are you incapable of keeping your home clean, you are unable to care for yourself properly. Look at you; your color is poor, your posture abominable, and…is that hair gel you are wearing?"

The other Titan's watched in amazement as their leader- who had always seemed to be nearly infallible- was chewed out like an errant schoolboy. Finally, Starfire decided to intervene. While she respected the sanctity of the K'norfka-Bumgorff relationship, she could not let her boyfriend be so criticized without coming to his defense.

"Mister Alfred" She began "Robin…"

Alfred turned to her and, sweeping his hat from his head, bowed very low. "You must be Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran. Master Timothy has told us all so much of you, your majesty, and I am pleased to meet you at last. If I may be so bold, Your Highness, you are every bit as radiant as Master Timothy claimed in his letters"

"Oh!" Starfire said, blushing slightly "I-I thank you muchly, but please there is no need to treat me in this manner. I put my title aside some time ago, and have no wish to reclaim it at present. You may call me Starfire and please do not do the bowing."

Alfred remained in his bow "No, Your Majesty, I do not believe I could do any such thing. I am, first and foremost, an Englishman. We of the British Empire still revere royalty and it would not do for me to ignore protocol. If you will pardon me, Your Highness, I shall introduce myself to your team mates."

Straightening, the Englishman turned away from the thoroughly flustered alien to the rest of the Titans "Good afternoon, my name is Alfred Pennyworth. I am the butler of Mister Bruce Wayne- who is Master Timothy's acting guardian. I shall be staying with you for the next ten days, both as part of my vacation and to ensure that Master Timothy begins to adhere to a civilized standard of living. I have heard very much about all of you, and look forward to getting to know you better."

A moment of silence passed. None of the Titans knew what to say- they'd never had an adult stay at the Tower, and weren't sure how to act. Finally, Cyborg stepped forward "Well, it's, uh, nice to meet you too mister Pennyworth"

"Alfred, if you please sir." The butler corrected "I have been Alfred to my family for many years. Whenever I hear Mister Pennyworth, I always think of my late father."

"Okay, but then I'm just Victor. This is Raven, Star, and the green guy on the end is Garfield. Welcome to Titans Tower. Let me show you to the guest room" Cyborg moved towards

"Please, Victor" Alfred said, and leveled a glare at Robin "I'm sure that there will be plenty of time for me to settle in, once Master Timothy and I have tidied up a bit. I would like to do so in private, if possible. After all, we have not seen each other for some time now, and have much catching up to do. Miss Cassandra, would you and the others please excuse us?"

Cassie grabbed Starfire and Raven by the hands "Come. Need to unpack my things. Garfield, why not go with Cyborg on patrol? Think Alfred wants to be alone with Tim". At first the others protested, but she remained firm, remembering what Bruce Sensei had told her before leaving Gotham. She had been surprised at how fast her mentor had agreed to send his butler along to Jump City.

"I'm sending Alfred along with you, Cassie., because I'm worried about Tim. I think he's taking the damage caused by the Joker as some sort of personal failure. More, I'm concerned about what you reported regarding his identity- it worries me that he's never put aside the role of Robin" Batman had said "Alfred is going to talk some sense into him, but to do that he will need time alone with Tim."

Cassie had agreed to give Alfred the time he needed. Besides, it was high time she made things up with Raven- which would be a long and likely uncomfortable conversation. 'Best get it over with' she thought 'Not going to be easier later. If Starfire there, at least know that things not turn violent'

A/N  
No action yet, but soon. Soon.

No there will be no love triangles- I used that once, and even then I didn't feel good about it. It's become such a cliché in these stories, and I hate cliché's. In my view, they're a sign of a lazy author. I may be many things but that ain't one of them.


	20. Chapter 20

Newcomers to Jump City are often puzzled by the location of Titan's Tower. The massive T shaped building is on an island in the middle of the bay, with no bridges or ferry lines connecting it to the mainland. How, then, do the heroes that can't fly get on and off the island? How to they take their almost daily delivery of pizza? Veteran Jumpers generally laugh, and tell the newcomer about the short-lived Jump City Aquarium.

The aquarium had been designed to offer a unique experience to the public. It was composed of two separate buildings, each holding a large number of standard exhibits- one on the mainland, the other on the island. The two buildings were connected by a long, plexi-glass tunnel, which ran underwater from the mainland to the island. It had been constructed to give visitors a view of the bay's rich marine life, in a warm and dry environment- and it was this that was the aquarium's downfall. The management soon discovered how difficult it was to keep an eight hundred-foot glass corridor climate controlled- heating and cooling the tunnel cost more than all the rest of the aquariums expenses combined! The entire aquarium was soon abandoned, with the various exhibits being moved to the Jump City Oceanic Institute- but the tunnel remained. When the Teen Titan's scouted locations for their new base, the island was the natural choice- being isolated yet close to the city. The tunnel was easily modified into an access point, which only the teen heroes could use.

Now, the T-Car raced down the long glass corridor, which lead to Jump City. Cyborg still had to do his Patrol, while Beastboy was unabashedly fleeing the Tower and its occupants. As he put it "Girlfriend plus ex-girlfriend equals pain. That's just basic math". So, he had elected to join his best friend on this sweep of the city.

For a long time they were silent, as both heroes tried to digest what had just happened. An elderly Englishman had arrived at the Tower, chewed Robin out for being a slob, introduced himself as BATMAN's butler, and then ordered Robin to help clean up. To top it all off, Robin had acted like a whipped puppy the whole time. It was a lot to take in all at once.

Eventually, Beastboy said "Who would have thought that Robin would be the one to get chewed out for sloppiness? I mean, you remember when the Doom Patrol came to visit last year? I was sure that Elasti-Girl was going to send me to the corner when she saw my room! I swear, Rob won't be able to nag me about cleaning up for months!"

Cyborg chuckled. "Yeah, that was pretty funny. I wonder why Rob takes the guy so seriously. I mean, okay family ties and everything, but I haven't seen him this freaked out since that first Slade-Induced Psychosis he went through." The T-Car emerged from the tunnel into the waterfront district of Jump City. Cyborg turned the car to head towards the High-Tech Industrial park, the target of this patrol.

"Oh, man, and did you see Starfire's face when he called her Your Majesty?" Beastboy laughed "Or how about when he bowed to her and told her that Robin'd been telling everyone in Gotham she was radiant? Who knew orange skin could blush that deep?"

Cyborg smirked at his small friend "You sure you want to be making fun of her, greenie? I got a feeling that you'll be on the receiving end of plenty of teasing as it is- you shouldn't alienate the one person who's unlikely to take part. Raven's never been a Sharing kinda person, and whatever she says, I doubt she's thrilled to see your Ex in the Tower. My guess is she's going to stake her claim in public, and be watching you like a hawk to make sure you don't welcome Cassie back too warmly"

Beastboy shook his head, smiling "Nah. Any other girl maybe, but not Raven. Rae's way too mature for that stuff, Cy- she knows she can trust me, and that even if Cass hasn't given up I wouldn't cheat on her. Still, you're right about one thing: the Tower's gonna be an awkward place to live for a while."

"Yeah." The metal man glanced to the right, where a column of black smoke stained the sky "Hey what's that? A fire?"

Beastboy fiddled with the dial on the radio "Nothing on the emergency channel, Cy"

Cyborg frowned "Listen, I don't like this one bit. That much smoke usually means a huge fire- but no one's called 911? We're going to go investigate, but if it's anything even remotely dangerous, I'm gonna send you back to the Tower. I'll be trusting you to go on your own, okay?"

Beastboy nodded "Let's just hope someone's having a barbecue. A really big barbecue" he said gazing at the thick black cloud.

* * *

Alfred and Robin began their cleaning with the Common Room. Alfred dusted the various surfaces- tables, windowsills and the like- while Robin picked up the trash. As they worked, the two chatted about various small matters- the state of Gotham, dining in Jump City, the latest BatClan gossip. Tim was thrilled to hear that Dick Grayson, better known as Nightwing, had finally proposed to his long time – and long-suffering- girlfriend Barbara Gordon. Alfred was proud to hear how well his young friend had managed as leader of his own super team. Eventually, the older man came to the matter of trust- he asked how trustworthy the other Titans were. Tim responded proudly that he would trust his teammates as much as he would trust Batman.

"In that case, Master Timothy" Alfred said, a cunning gleam in his eye "May I ask why you wear your mask in the Tower? While we are on the subject, why do you insist that your teammates call you Robin as opposed to your given name?"

The Boy Wonder was completely wrong-footed by the question. "Uh, well…that is…in the field…er, that is to say…" He took a deep breath and began again, this time with more coherence. "I trust my friends with the knowledge of my identity, not the world. All it would take is for one of them to call out my name, my real one, in the midst of battle- as a warning, say, or because of high emotion- and the secret would be out. Not just mine, but all of the Batclan's secret identities would be public, and all our good work would cease. As for my mask, many times our enemies have managed to sneak hidden cameras into the Tower. Even now, someone could be watching- hoping we'll let something slip."

Alfred frowned. He made his opinion of his friend's reasoning known with one, well chosen word. "Rubbish"

Robin goggled "What?"

"Rubbish. I have been calling you Master Timothy ever since I arrived, and you have not protested in the least. The very fact that you allowed me to enter the Tower at all indicates that you don't seriously believe that anyone is watching you- Bruce Wayne's butler coming to visit Robin would be an excellent clue to anyone who wished to discover your or Batman's identity. Moreover, I have heard your teammates address one another by first name and you have not seen fit to reprove them. Now, what is the real reason?"

Robin felt himself growing angry "No one questions Batman's decision to keep his cowl on in the Batcave!" It was a childish piece of reasoning, and he knew it- but it was true. The Dark Knight never unmasked while in his cave, and Alfred simply accepted it. Now, when he was a guest in Robin's home, he felt the need to criticize the exact same behavior?

Alfred sighed heavily, and set aside his dust rag. Suddenly, the normally strong and energetic butler looked old and tired and sad. "I say nothing because it is my fault. When Master Bruce was orphaned, he needed love and support and reassurance. A lifelong bachelor, I was ill equipped to provide it- I did my best, of course, but it was not enough. Over time, the carefree young boy slowly disappeared, and a brooding, obsessed young man took his place. Bruce Wayne died, and was replaced by the Batman- all because I could not be the father he needed. That is why he wears the cowl in the Batcave- it is who he is."

Alfred bent slightly to look Robin in the eyes "That is the reason for my concern, Master Timothy. I fear that you are travelling the same dark path- that you will cease being the lighthearted young man you once were and forever become the serious and driven Robin"

Robin- TIM- felt a shiver down his spine . He'd taken for granted that it was necessary to guard his identity, even in his home. Yet Alfred's logic tore his reasoning to shreds. If he were really just concerned about his secrets, than he should never have allowed the Englishman access to the Tower. Nor would he allow his friends to reveal their secrets within the Tower. Suddenly, his reasoning seemed more like a rationalization. Was he STILL trying to bury himself in the Robin persona? It was a frightening thought- Batman had done the same, and his life was far from ideal. Although the Dark Knight had become a spectacular crime-fighter and detective, he had done so by sacrificing everything normal and human in his personality.

"I-I need some time to think about this, Alfred" Tim said "You make a lot of sense, though. Do you really think it's as bad as that?"

Alfred straightened up, gratified that his words had not fallen on deaf ears. "Not yet, Master Timothy but you are nearing the point of no return, as it were. The first thing to do, is remove that while at home" The butler tapped one long finger against Robin's mask.

"All right" Slowly, the Boy Wonder reached up, and peeled off his mask. Tim blinked his eyes in the light.

At just that moment, Starfire walked into the room "Boyfriend Robin, we require the food of snacks. Would you- eep!" Starfire stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the ice blue eyes of her boyfriend for the first time in her life. She felt herself being drawn into the depths of those blue pools, when a hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality.

"I trust you approve of the change, Your Majesty?" Alfred said, supressing a smile.

"I, that is…Ohhh!" Starfire could feel her cheeks burning "I am so the fluster! Boyfriend Robin, why do you not have on your mask? Is something wrong?"

Tim laughed softly and took her hand "It's all right, Star- I've just been talking to Alfred, and decided that if I can trust you guys with my life then I can afford to walk around in normal clothes. Oh, and Star? Call me Tim"

Starfire blushed an even deeper hue and smiled widely "Very well, Boyfriend Tim." The two teenagers stared into one another's eyes for a moment, before Alfred discreetly coughed.

"I have no wish to disrupt this touching moment, Your Majesty, but did you not mention something about a snack?"

"Oh yes! Friends Raven, Cassie and I have been speaking for some time, and we hunger greatly. Might I ask your help in making some snacks?"

"Certainly, Your Highness. In fact, I…" Whatever Alfred was going to say next was never heard, as the Titans Alarm blared throughout the Tower. Racing to the console, Tim put his mask back on.

Cyborg's face appeared on the screen "Rob, we got a problem at the Hickers Nano-Tech Lab. A bunch of Slade-Bots smashed their way in and are looting the place. I've sent Beastboy back to the Tower, and I'm waiting outside the lab. I'm outnumbered man, I need back-up and FAST."

Robin nodded. "We'll be there as soon as we can- take no action 'til we get there."

A/N

See? Told you there'd be action soon.

I've often wondered about how they can live on an island with no means of transport to land.


	21. Chapter 21

The Titans assembled just outside the beleaguered facility. Immediately, Robin began issuing directions to the others.

"Okay, when we go in Cyborg I want you to go left, I'll go right, and Batgirl, you've got the center. The plan is to try to keep them encircled at all times- I don't want them getting away with whatever it is they came for. Star, you and Raven are on support- if you see one of us getting overwhelmed, help out. But otherwise, your main task is to pick off any of the Sladebots that look like they're making a break for it. No one is to use any explosive abilities- this lab is full of volatile equipment. Cyborg, no sonic cannon and Star, no starbolts. Everyone clear? Good, and remember- these things aren't all that tough individually, be careful not to let them swarm you. TITANS GO!"

As the young heroes entered the building, the number of their opponents immediately struck them. Slade typically favored large numbers of robots, attempting to defeat his enemies through sheer numbers. Robin counted twelve Sladebots present, and that was after scanning the entire room. The next thing he noticed was how different they were from ordinary Sladebots. Previous models had been wiry and agile, much like their controller- these models were far more bulky and top-heavy. Robin nudged Cyborg.

"Cy, scan them quickly. I want to know why they're so much bulkier" he said. His question was answered almost immediately, as all the Sladebots but three turned to face the heroes. Large weapons systems slid from their shoulders, and smaller guns sprouted from their wrists. "You know what, Cy, just um…just go ahead and forget that, okay? I think I figured it out"

The air filled with the chatter of machine guns, the roar of missiles, and the zapping of energy weapons. The Titans, however, stuck to the original plan as best they could. Starfire and Raven attempted to stay in the air, despite the vast amount of firepower that came their way, while the three ground bound Titans split up to encircle the robots. When everyone was in position, the attack began, with the Titans moving as one to stop the attacking robots from destroying the lab. Meanwhile, unnoticed, the last three Sladebots continued to search load the assorted lab equipment into their chest compartments.

For the first part of the battle, the heroes had all they could do to dodge the attacks of the Sladebots powerful weapons. Eventually, though, the heroes were able to get on the offensive. The fight was a difficult one, as the new model of Sladebots was proving to be significantly tougher and smarter than their predecessors had ever been. The Titans were reduced to melee combat, as the machines were able to shoot down any projectiles the heroes launched. This was made even more difficult by the increased toughness of the Sladebots- Robin and Batgirl were barely able to dent the powerful machines, and even Starfire was having a hard time destroying them. Nor was Raven faring much better- although she could throw the robots around, their dense metal frames resisted all her attempts at damaging them. It was Cyborg who fared the best- with his mechanical knowledge, he was best able to spot weak spots and vulnerabilities and exploit them. Soon, the mechanical man had dispatched four of the machines, while the others had destroyed two more.

The remaining Sladebots, including those that had not yet participated in the fight, ceased their actions and backed away from the heroes. Before anyone could savor victory, however, the robots which hadn't fought sprouted rocket engines from their backs. With a roar that shook the entire lab, all three burst through the ceiling and flew off- each in a different direction. Immediately, the remaining machines resumed their attack.

"Starfire, Raven! Stop those things!" Robin yelled, as he dodged a spray of machine gun fire.

Starfire nodded and launched herself into the air, followed closely by Raven. "I shall take the one heading East, you pursue the one going West. Whoever finishes first shall go after the one headed North" the alien princess said. Raven nodded, and in a burst of black energy, teleported away.

* * *

Raven had taken a moment to observe her quarry speed and direction, and although math had never been her strong point, she thought she could guess about where to teleport in order to meet it head on. When she reappeared, she discovered she'd been close- the flying automaton was a bit ahead of her. She flew as fast as she could, but the machines rocket engines gave it an edge she couldn't match. As she flew, she gauged her own inner strength, and found that she didn't have enough power left to teleport AND fight- it would have to be one or the other. Since she hadn't been able to hurt the Sladebots back when she'd still been fresh, she decided on the former option. Using her last reserves of mental power, she teleported right onto the Sladebots head.

Though woozy from the exertion, the empath grabbed hold of the machines head and managed to open up the top. She was met with a jumble of circuits and wires. She triggered her communicator and said "Raven to Cyborg, can you hear me?"

After a moment, Cyborg's voice came back "I hear you Rae, but there's a lot of background noise. What's happening"

"That would be the wind, and don't call me Rae." she replied, and briefly sketched out the situation, concluding by saying "I have the robots head open now, but I don't know what to do now."

Another pause and then "Okay, Raven, listen very closely. I need you to look for a large black cube. It'll have a ton of wires connected to it, with a blinking red light. Can you see it?"

Raven looked down. Although she'd spent many hours helping Cyborg in the garage, she still wasn't what anyone would call tech-smart, and all the robot's parts looked pretty much a like to her. But eventually, she spotter a large black cube. Triggering her communicator again, she said as much.

"All right, good. That's the central control box- it's how Slade or his computer are guiding the robot." Cyborg was speaking slowly and enunciating, to be sure that Raven heard and understood everything he said. "You can't just yank it out- that'll cause the thing to shut down, and while you can fly away, we don't know what it's carrying or how dangerous the robot's power core is. So instead, I'm going to walk you through the process of wiring your communicator into the control box, while I wire mine into my system. Then I'll be able to take control of the robot, and land it safely. Okay, first open the back of your communicator and look for a blue wire…"

It seemed to take an eternity (though it was only about seven minutes), but eventually, Raven had completed the procedure and Cyborg had the thing landed.

'That was fun' Raven thought with a grimace 'I hope Starfire has an easier time of it- and that she manages to get that third one'

* * *

For Starfire, the pursuit was trying in a purely physical sense. While she lacked Raven's ability to teleport, the alien girl was a much faster flyer when buoyed by the right emotions. Given what had happened in the Common Room- the sight of her Boyfriend without his mask, permission to use his real name- she felt sufficient joy to outfly a jet. Despite the large lead enjoyed by the fleeing robot, she was soon hot on its tail. The robot tried a number of tricks in an attempt to evade pursuit, but since it had no pilot these were fairly unimaginative. Soon, Starfire was in range to use her own energy attacks. The alien girl decided against using her starbolts- they were too powerful. After all, she did not know what the machine had taken- it might be something hazardous. Instead, she squinted her now glowing eyes, and fired an eye blast directly at the robot's head.

The head exploded, and almost immediately its rocket died. The machine began to fall, but Starfire swiftly moved to catch it. She took the time to place it on the street, where a nearby police officer agreed to stand watch- and call for backup. Having seen to it that the thieving robot was secured, she flew off in search of the third and final Sladebot.

A/N

How many people are reading this? I ask because every chapter is reviewed by the same exact people. I mean, if it's just four or five people reading this, it's cool, but I'd like to know.

MJ posted a comment last chapter regarding Beastboy's past. (S)he then discounted it, saying it came off "know-it-all-ly and, as some may put it, shallow and pedantic". Apart from the fact that know-it-all-ly isn't even close to a word, never feel bad correcting me about Canon. It's important to me that my stories fit canon as closely as possible. If you see a mistake, tell me- excluding the matter of Tim Drake vs Dick Grayson. I've made my decision and I stand by it.


	22. Chapter 22

Officer Ryan Sokochevsky was new to the JCPD, having just completed the Academy a few weeks ago, but he was no fool. When Starfire had presented him with the burned out remains of a Sladebot, and asked him to keep a watchful eye on it, he had immediately radioed the rest of the Titans. He liked to think of himself as a capable young officer, but he knew when it was best to step aside and let the experts deal with things.

He'd then stood guard over the fallen robot, keeping the curious citizens of Jump City from tampering with the evidence, and was relieved when the Titans arrived and he could leave. Efore he drove away, he noticed that the young heroes had brough another Sladebot with them.

At Robin's insistence, Cyborg scanned the Sladebots. First and foremost, he checked to make sure the thing weren't rigged to explode or emit gas or anything else that might endanger the citizenry. When both machines turned out to be clean, he began a much more thorough scan of their contents, a preliminary to further investigation back at the Tower. Robin, meanwhile, was speaking into his communicator. Eventually, he put it down and walked back over to Cyborg.

"Starfire hasn't been able to find so much as a trace of the third robot- whatever it took is probably in Slade's hands right now. I told her to head back to the Tower- no sense in wasting her energy on what is probably a lost cause." Robin said, with a resigned sigh. "But on the plus side, Alfred says Beastboy made it back to the Tower all right- seems he fell asleep on the couch the moment he got in and hasn't budged since. He also asked permission to clean our rooms- I told him it was fine. Raven's room is locked anyway, and none of the rest of us would complain of tidier rooms.Well, let's get these scrapheaps into the T-Car and head home"

Cyborg stared at his leader for a moment then slowly asked "Rob, are you feeling okay?"

Robin gave his friend a puzzled glance "Fine. A little hungry, but fine. Why do you ask?"

"It's just, well…normally, the mere mention of Slade is enough to drive you into a frenzy of paranoia and psychotic overwork." Cyborg said, then hastily started waving his hands "Don't get me wrong! I'm not complaining about the change! I just wanna know what gives"

Robin smirked "Cy, we brought down the Joker. We faced off against the worst this planet has to offer- the most ruthless, ingenious, cruel and insane human being alive- and we still won! Slade is crafty, and sly, and cunning and I bet he'll be one step ahead of us for a while. He'll play his mind games, and we'll probably fall for some of them. But he's no big thing compared to the Joker, and you know what? I'm not going to treat him like he is. Besides, what good would it do?" the Boy Wonder laughed, and Cyborg could detect just a touch of bitterness in his laughter. "How much good did my obsession wind up doing us? I was frazzled, you guys were worried, and I never got a damn inch closer to catching Slade. No, we'll all work together to bring him down- the way we should have been doing it from the start."

Cyborg slapped Robin on the shoulder, inadvertantly sending the spiky-haired boy to his knees "Now THAT'S what I like to hear! Teamwork's always been our strength, Robby- well, that and my dashing good looks. Now, where's Raven?"

Robin pointed a thumb behind him/ Raven sat on the sidewalk, leaning against a stop sign, fast asleep.

The long car ride back to the Tower gave Raven time to regain some of her strength. She made her way through the Tower to her room. 'A good meditation session is just what I need to recoup my energies.' She was surprised to find the door to her room open. Raven frowned at that- normally the only Titan willing to dare her wrath and enter her room was Beastboy, but he was asleep on the couch. Could it be one of the others? But no, they'd all been in the car with her. Could it be an intruder? The surviving villains of Jump City had been quiet lately- perhaps one or more of them had been gearing up for an assault on the Tower. Deciding to chance it, Raven stepped into her room… and saw Alfred Pennyworth inspecting her bookshelves.

"You're in my room" Raven said, her voice filled with its usual cold menace.

Instead of acting intimidated or nervous the butler made a show of looking to his left, then to his right, then said "It seems I am. Well observed, miss Raven"

Raven was slightly nonplussed by this, but decided to try again. "You shouldn't be in here. No one goes in my room"

Alfred ran a white-gloved finger along one bookshelf, and when it came away the digit was caked in dust. "Yes, I can see that. Still, no worry, I shall be done dusting in a moment." Suiting actions to words the Englishman took a small dust rag from one pocket and began to clean Raven's room.

Raven was now severely wrong-footed. No one had ever faced her down like this before- the man sounded as though he didn't notice her displeasure. She'd seen people stiffen their spines, or put up a brave front- but never had anyone simply ignored the wrath of a half-demon. She decided to try a standard, red-eye glare. Alfred continued to dust the shelves, apparently unaware of the red glow emanating from behind him. After a few moments, though, he sighed and turned around with a look of weariness on his face.

"Miss Raven, may I remind you who my employer is? The Batman has attempted to intimidate me with his glares for several decades- and his glares are far more frightening than your own. In fact, if I may make so bold, you look like you are badly in need of a restroom. Now, why don't you go wait with your young man until I have finished here."

Raven entered the Common Room with a bewildered look on her face. She sat down on the sofa, next to the sleeping changeling, and absent-mindedly began stroking his hair. In response, the sleeping boy moved his head into her lap, and began to make a strange almost-purring sound. Raven smiled, slightly- maybe being barred from her room wasn't ALL bad.

She saw Robin emerge from the kitchen, sipping a can of soda. With a wave of her hand, she encased the Boy Wonder in energy and floated him over to the sofa. She looked up at him sternly before releasing him, and Robin tumbled to the floor. Before he could say anything, Raven asked him "Why was your butler in my room?"

"Huh? Alfred was in your room? I don't- OH! I told him he could tidy up our bedrooms while we were away. I assumed that your room would be locked- wasn't it?"

Raven shook her head "I don't think so- we were kind of rushed from the Tower and I may have forgotten. That explains why he went in- but not why he treated me so dismissively. He ignored my wishes, belittled my attitude and dismissed my objections. What, may I ask, is so funny?"

Robin somehow stopped laughing long enough to answer. "In other words, Alfred's been treating you like one of the family. Raven, Alfred treats all of us- even Batman- just the way you described whenever he feels we're getting too full of ourselves. Last time I was in Gotham, Batman had gotten hung up on a case. Hadn't been upstairs in days- hadn't even bathed. We were all trying to get him to take a break, when Alfred just turns a hose on him. Then says "I apologize, sir, but the odor was too much for me. Perhaps if you were to shower I would not have to repeat that". Trust me, it's his way of showing he cares. Take it as a compliment, because believe me he's not normally this accepting of our friends."

Raven nodded, slightly mollified. She looked down at her boyfriend's head"All right, but I wish he'd respected my privacy. My room is my sanctuary- my fortress against the world. Whenever I feel that the world is getting to be too much- whenever the weight of what I am gets to be too great- I can go into my room and let it all pass me by. When someone goes in without my permission, it drives home how illusory my sanctuary really is- and how there really is no place on earth for me."

"Ahem" Alfred coughed gently from behind them. Both Robin and Raven turned to look at him. Speaking much more politely than before, Alfred said "I apologize for violating your sanctum, miss Raven. Had you told me how important your personal space was before, rather than attempting to bully and browbeat me, I would have gladly left your room in peace. May I make some tea, as a peace offering?"

Raven nodded and followed the Englishman into the kitchen. Over his shoulder Alfred called "Would you care to join us Master Tim?"

"No thank you, Alfred" Robin called back "I think I'll go change clothes and then check on Cyborg. He's looking at what the Sladebots took from that lab."

A/N

Do not mess with Alfred Pennyworth.


	23. Chapter 23

Once again, Tim Drake marveled at Alfred pennyworth's foresight. Not only had the aged butler foreseen their discussion about his identity, he had known that he would win the argument AND that Tim Drake would need civilian clothing AND had even guessed Tim's new size perfectly . Robin had removed his uniform for what felt like the first time in ages and Tim had looked over the new wardrobe Alfred had brought with him from Gotham. As always, the butler's sense of style was impeccable- the clothes he handed over to his young friend were stylish, practical and comfortable and ranged from casual wear to an honest-to-God tuxedo. He selected a green T-shirt and a pair of new jeans, and headed to the newly created forensics lab.

Prior to moving in with Beastboy, Cyborg had done all his scientific work in his own room. It hadn't been a perfect solution- a truly state of the art lab required a lot more space than even a large bedroom could provide. But it had been extremely convenient as well as secure- no villain could get into his lab and tamper with the equipment without his knowing about it. Neither could Beastboy, which was at least as big a concern- Cyborg loved the little guy but he had the Touch of Death when it came to technology more advanced than the toaster.

Now that the two were in the same room, Cyborg had moved his equipment into a storage room and set up a new lab there. What he lost in convenience he gained in opportunity- the larger space meant he could expand the lab to include a real forensic analysis set-up, and a number of experimental devices he could never have used in his room. He was running an analysis of the recovered loot when he heard Robin's voice coming from the doorway.

"Hey Cyborg" it said "Any news on what Slade was trying to steal? Or on what that last robot actually got away with?"

"Well" Cyborg said as he slowly turned to face his leader "Both robots were carrying the same things, so I think we can GAH!" Cyborg stared at the Boy Wonder in shock. Rather than his usual brightly colored uniform, Robin was wearing dark jeans and a green 'Gotham Gators' T-shirt. Even his mask was gone, and Cyborg was amazed at how human Robin looked without it. "Uh, Rob? What- what happened to your uniform?"

"I had a talk with Alfred" Ro- Tim said "and he convinced me that it's ridiculous for me to disguise myself around my best friends. So, when we're off duty, I'm not Robin- I'm Tim. What're you doing?"

Cyborg had removed one of his finger tips and was running the base of it over Tim's body. "A bioscan. You've taken off your costume, you're using your real name, and you're being calm about Slade. I just need to check that you're not some impostor."

With a laugh, Tim slapped Cyborg's scanner away, and the metal man reattached his finger with a grin. "I'm not THAT bad, Cy"

"Yeah, you were." Cyborg responded, then sighed "As for the loot both the bots we captured were carrying the same stuff. Mainly specialized micro tools- state of the art stuff for fixing small machines"

Tim rubbed his chin and bent to look at the captured goods "Any ideas what they could be used for?"

"Just about anything. Slade might be using them to fix microchips, assemble miniaturized bombs, tinker with the finer parts of robots, or assemble nanomachines. There's really no way to tell." Cyborg gestured towards one of the larger devices in the lab "I'm rubbing a spectrographic analysis now to find out what these things are composed of. If we're lucky, they might contain a substance we can track."

"Anything I can do to help?" Robin said peering around the lab.

"Not really" Cyborg said "Maybe talk to the lab technicians this stuff was stolen from. Find out if they have any ideas"

"I'll do that. Meanwhile, it's time to make my weekly report to Batman. Wonder how he'll take my new look?"

* * *

_On the couch, Beastboy dreamed. He dreamt that he was on the African savanna, racing through the tall grass as an impala. His leaps carried him across the vast land, and his mind was free of want and hunger and fear. It was like being a child again- before the Titans, before the Doom Patrol, even before the Sakutia. He revelled in the feeling of freedom and serenity._

_Slowly, though, the world around him began to change. First, the grasses shrank and disappeared, then the rich black soil turned rocky and gray. Then, the sky grew dark and stormy- lightning arced across the inky sky, and thunder roared all around him. He found himself standing now in his human (well, elf) form- and unable to change back. From the ground rose huge walls, boxing him in on the left and right. He turned to flee, but found only a long dark corridor- and he suddenly KNEW that something evil lay in that direction and that it was coming his way._

_He turned and ran, but quickly came to a split in the path, and realized he was in a maze. He chose a new path blindly, fleeing now in desperate panic, from the evil he knew was pursuing him. He could hear a sound, a human sound, echoing in the distance behind him. It SOUNDED far away, but the echo made it impossible to judge how far. So the green boy kept running…_

Raven sipped her cup of freshly brewed tea and admitted that it was vastly superior to the tea bags she normally used. Alfred Pennyworth nodded.

"Proper tea can only be brewed from tea leaves" the butler said, as he added a drop of honey to his own tea. "I daresay tea bags are useful when one is in a hurry, but for a truly good cup of tea you must use the real leaf. May I ask if you and miss Cassie have settled your differences?"

Raven sighed "I'm not sure, we haven't really talked much since she came back, We were going to talk when she first arrived, but neither of us felt comfortable making the first move. We just kept dancing around the issues."

Raven's moment of serenity was destroyed when she heard Batgirl yelling her name from the Common Room. Racing in, she saw the young Gothamite standing near the couch staring in shock at Beastboy- who was thrashing around violently in his sleep. Immediately, the dark girl raced to his side, gently shaking him until he woke up.

"Oh man, Rae" The changeling said, as he clung to his girlfriend "That was awful. Thanks for waking me."

"It's all right, Gar" she said, but kept her eyes on Cassie. "Why don't you go get ready for our meditation session? I've got to talk to Cassie."

As the changeling and the Englishman left, Cassie shuffled her feet nervously. "So…what you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk about you and my boyfriend. I want to know that there won't be any…unpleasantness."

Caassie sighed and sat down on the couch "While in Gotham, I talk to friends. Barbara Gordon. Dick Grayson. Jean-Paul Valley. Tell them how I feel about Gar- about Beastboy. They say it not sound like real love. They say it sound more like crush- that I only like him because he cute boy. Not because of any connection between us. They tell me that crush fades in time."

Raven nodded "And has it faded?"

The vigilante sighed "Maybe. A little. Still hurts that he chose you. But I know not to make trouble- I promise that"

Raven nodded "I know you won't and for what it's worth, I'm sorry you had to get hurt. But that isn't what I was asking- I wanted to make sure that there won't be trouble between US. I've seen first hand that hurt feelings can turn to dislike, even hatred. I would like us to be friends, Cassie- I think we understand one another in ways the others don't. We're both the children of evil fathers, we've both rebelled against our parents, neither of us are social people, we both like changelings with elfin ears…"

Cassie laughed softly at that. "His ears very cute."

"Yes, but we can never tell him that." Raven said, a slight smile on her face "For the sake of the world and his own ability to buy hats. Now, friends?" The empath stuck out one hand. Cassie hesitated a moment, then shook it.

"Friends"

* * *

In his room, Tim flipped on his computer and went through the laborious process of establishing a secure link to the Batcave. Eventually, Batman's grim visage appeared on the screen. Tim noticed how much better his mentor looked now that the Joker was accounted for- as though a great weight had been lifted from his mighty shoulders.

"Make your report Tim"

Tim was struck dumb for a moment. He'd imagined many reactions to his unmasking- surprise, anger, disappointment, even incredulity. He hadn't expected his mentor to simply ignore it. He didn't delude himself that perhaps Batman hadn't noticed- the World's Greatest Detective noticed everything. Still, he had to know.

"Uh, Bruce? You CAN see what I'm wearing, right?"

"Of course. Alfred said he would get you to stop wearing your costume at home, and clearly he has. Now, the report?"

Briefly, Robin summarized the weeks events, with particular detail on the lab robbery. When he was finished, Batman frowned.

"A similar robbery occurred in GothCorp's High Science division two days ago. It was in daylight, so the police had to deal with it but from what I understand, the description matches the old-style Sladebots. Send me all the information you have on this Slade- I'm going to investigate personally."

Tim frowned- he'd come to Jump City to escape his mentor's vast shadow, and learn to be a hero on his own. Now, it seemed like Batman was pushing him aside- taking over a case that had been his for years. "Don't think I can manage it? Big Daddy Bruce needs to step in?" he said acidly.

The Dark Knight shook his head. "To the contrary, I expect that you can handle him on your own- that isn't the point. The point is that Slade has now reached into Gotham- he's brought his filth into my city and he may do so again. I need to know all I can in case I have to bring him down."

Tim considered this briefly, then nodded. "I'll make you a deal-"

"I don't make deals" Batman cut in with a glower.

"All right" Tim said, slightly shaken by the dreaded Batglare "Call it an arrangement. I'll send you everything I have on Slade and his MO. In exchange we set up lines of jurisdiction- if Slade takes his act to Gotham he's all yours. Anywhere else, though, and he's mine."

There was a moment of terse silence before Batman nodded, and allowed a tiny smile to cross his lips. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Tim. Bruce out"

A/N

The Gators are Gothams Basketball team.

NExt Chapter: A trip to Nevermore


	24. Chapter 24

Beastboy wasn't sure exactly how it had happened. One minute, he was sitting on the rooftop with his girlfriend, clearing his mind of all distractions. The next, there was a flash of bright light and he was standing in the middle of a gloomy maze. Its gray walls and dark atmosphere reminded him alarmingly of his dream- except this maze seemed much smaller. The walls were barely six feet high, and he could feel a breeze on his face- clearly the end wasn't very far off.

In front of him, Raven stood talking to a gray cloaked version of herself. It had been years since he and Cyborg had blundered into Raven's psychic mirror, but after a moments thought, her identity came to him.

"Hey" he said, and both Ravens turned to him "You're Timid Raven, right?"

"Yes" the girl said meekly "I'm sorry Raven isn't always nice to you. She doesn't always know how to show affection" Behind her, Raven slapped a hand to her face.

"Uh, that's okay." Beastboy was more than a little put off by Timid's gloomy personality. So he decided to cheer her up with jokes as they walked through the maze.

"Hey, Timid, what do you get if you cross a hippo with a kangaroo? The biggest potholes imaginable!"

"…"

"What's the vampire's favorite romantic ballad? Fangs For the Memories!"

"…"

"Why does the little moron throw butter out the window?"

"As I recall" Raven droned "to hit Cyborg as he comes out of the Tower"

"I ONLY DID THAT ONCE!" Beastboy yelled, before being yanked close to Raven.

"What are you doing? Why are you telling her jokes?" Raven whispered. Ahead of them, the gray emotion continued on silently.

"I just wanted to cheer her up, Rae" Beastboy said defensively "It doesn't seem right that she be gloomy all the time."

Raven sighed deeply. "Beastboy, she is a psychic manifestation of my feelings of fear, sadness, timidity, and self-hatred. It's what she IS. You can't cheer her up without radically changing her nature, or mine. Nor will you be able to calm Rage, depress Happy, or frighten Brave. Even trying is as foolish as attempting to turn ice into flame. This is why we're here- so you can learn how to interact with your emotions before we actually face them"

The green boy's ears drooped. "Oh."

"What's wrong now?" Raven asked.

"Well, its just that I'd hoped you wouldn't have so many bad feelings anymore- especially not now that you know I love you. I'm just a little bummed to find out I haven't helped at all."

Raven smiled slightly "Oh I wouldn't say you were no help. Do you remember how big this maze was the last time you were here? The walls were twice as high, and the maze itself was the largest feature of Nevermore. Since we started dating, this realm has shrunk dramatically, since I've been feeling less and less sad or timid. It will probably always be here, but it no longer dominates my psyche."

"Cool!" The changeling said, brightening instantly. At that moment, Timid reached the end of the maze.

"Here you are, Raven, I'm sorry it took so long. And I'm sorry I didn't laugh at your jokes, Garfield." The emotion said, her voice as melancholy as ever.

As soon as the young heroes stepped out of the maze, a heavy fog arose, obscuring it from view. At the same time, a bright light appeared on the horizon. Raven began moving towards the light, with her boyfriend following close after. Soon, they came to a vast field of grass, in which a few brightly colored wildflowers danced in the light breeze. Above, the sky was a perfect azure blue, a few whispy clouds blowing across the endless blue. Beastboy was stunned to silence and immobility by the simple beauty of his surroundings. Suddenly, a bright pink blur came out of no where and rocketed into the changeling.

"GARFIELDGARFIELDGARFIELD!" Shrieked a pink cloaked Raven, as she hugged the green boy "It's SOOOO good to see you again! I'm so happy you're here!"

"Uh, thanks? You're Happy, right?" Beastboy asked. Contrary to what he'd always thought, a smiling Raven was actually a little disconcerting. Maybe it was because now he knew she didn't stop smiling- that she was just as happy alone as she was with him there. It kinda ruined the feeling of pride he always got from making Raven smile.

"Pretty much twenty four seven!" Happy Raven laughed "C'mon let's go play! We'll play tag, then hide and seek, then we'll have a race, and then…"

Raven cleared her throat loudly. "Happy. We have only a little time, and I want Gar to get a feel for all the emotions he might encounter in his own mind. I promise, though, to bring him back another time to play with you"

Happy Raven considered this a moment, then nodded violently "Okey-Dokey! Garfield, next time you come we can trade jokes!" With that, the manic emotion raced off with her arms extended, making a jet engine noise as she ran around in circles.

"Whoa, I guess I really did have an effect on you, Rae" Beastboy said with a smirk "She wasn't anything like that hyper the last time. What other emotions are we going to see?"

Raven blushed a bit, but answered "I thought we'd move on to Brave next, since she would know most about conquering fear. Then we'll move on to Rage- you'll have to face your anger and hatred at some point, and it can be overwhelming if you aren't prepared for it. Finally, I promised Love I'd take you to see her- she's more powerful than ever thanks to you and she was insistent about meeting you in person."

"Awww, no visit to Lust?" Beastboy said, causing Raven to glare at him for a moment.

"Lust is not an emotion. Those feelings come from the gonads and the spinal cord not the brain or the heart."

* * *

Brave Raven's realm was an immense Roman style coliseum with a massive arena at the center. As they moved down the rows of seats, the details of the arena became clear. Along the arena walls hung a variety of weapons and armor, some of which Beastboy had never seen before. The green cloaked emotion stood at the center of the arena, throwing a series of punches and kicks at the air. Even as they approached, a man-sized duplicate of Trigon appeared in the ring. With a roar of hatred, the red-skinned demon charged Brave Raven, but before Beastboy could react she was in motion. She met the demon's attack with a flying kick that sent the beast to the ground, then stomped on its throat. The demon vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. Without a pause, Brave Raven plucked a sword from the walls, and began to practice her technique.

By the time Beastboy and Raven had reached the arena, Brave Raven had dispatched another Trigon and had begun to toy with a large spear. She dropped the weapon when she noticed her visitors. Immediately, she dropped the spear and walked over to greet them. "Hey, Gar, lookin' good! You up for a quick spar? Heh heh heh."

Beastboy was a little taken aback by the green cloaked girl. Like Raven, she was slightly smaller than himself, and in no way muscular or brawny. But there was something about her attitude that suggested unlimited confidence and barely restrained power. In short, he was really intimidated by her.

"Uh, maybe later?" he said, then whispered "Rae? Help"

With a smirk, Raven explained the situation to her Brave side, who listened thoughtfully. When the empath was finished, the emotion led them up to the stands and sat down on the hard stone bench of the first row.

"First thing you're gonna have to do, Greenie, is face your fear"

"Greenie? Hey, look who's talking!" Beastboy scoffed "And second, I HAVE faced my fear! Every day in that damned cell!"

"No, that's just facing what you're afraid of" Brave Raven said with a shale of her head "You've gotta face your Fear. Y'know? Like how you're facing Rae's Bravery right now. Sounds to me like your Fear is running amok and causing problems. You've gotta face him down."

"How do I do that?" Beastboy asked "I mean, I can't calm down my Fear- Rae told me you guys can't change the way you feel"

"Not calm him down, BB, face him down. You have to be firm and make it clear that he's crossed the line. Remind him whose mind it is, and who gives the orders. That always works for Rae when one of us gets out of line."

"Okay" Beastboy said doubtfully "That's probably easier said then done. Next?"

"Next, you gotta toughen up your own Bravery- with Fear so powerful, he's probably gotten weak. Again, be firm- he's got a job to do, so he better start doing. You gotta do your part here too- focus on feeling brave as often as you can. Try to remember times when you faced down your fears. That'll help. Third…" the emotion smiled confidently "You have to come back here so I can kick your butt good and proper!"

The changeling smiled "That's a given."

A/N

Next, Rage, Love and the start of a prank war.

Time for a rant. I've seen a LOT of stories involving Nevermore. With good reason- it's a really intriguing idea. BUT so many stories don't do the place justice. Its either a Deus Ex Machina for bringing a couple together or the emotions have gotten lose. Let's look at those individually.

The first principle usually goes something like this: A new emotion appears which Raven either doesn't know about or refuses to acknowledge. Given that Nevermore is Raven's MIND it doesn't strike me as likely that she wouldn't know just what was going on in there- I mean, she knew when Beastboy and Cyborg were in there. And since Raven is focused on controlling her emotions, she has to know what they are.

The second scenario bothers me for metaphysical reasons. The emotions aren't real people- they have no physical substance, no desires, no real self. How would they function outside Raven's mind? I know there's a comic where it happened, but as with the Tim VS Dick thing, I'm not afraid to tell DC they're wrong.

None of this is to say that stories using these ideas are bad, they're just overdone.

Finally, and this is a minor point, many stories have the emotions changing as people. Timid becomes less shy, Rage finds she can't be angry at Beastboy/Robin/whoever, and so forth. I repeat, these aren't people- they're symbols for emotions. What they feel is who they are- they can't change, because that would mean changing their entire nature.


	25. Chapter 25

Rage's domain stood in sharp contrast to Happy Raven's realm. Where Happy dwelled in a verdant field bathed in perpetual summer sunlight, Rage's realm was a blasted land where the sky was blocked out by thick black clouds. The ground was arid, and cracked, with many large jagged rocks sticking out. Thunder continually rolled across the darkened sky, and in the distance jagged forks of lighting split the gloom. As they approached the center of the cursed land, the temperature rose sharply until even Beastboy- who'd grown up in a tropical clime- was sweating uncomfortably. The smell of sulfur and molten rock filled the air, making every breath a torment for the shapeshifter's sensitive nose. Eventually, they reached their destination.

At the heart of the blasted landscape was a wide ring of molten lava, with a small island of rock in the center. On that rock was a single spire of stone, to which the violent emotion was chained. A primitive rope bridge allowed access to the island for those who wished to visit Rage. As they approached the rickety, wooden construction, Raven pulled her boyfriend aside for a moment.

"Beastboy" she warned, "I want you to be prepared for what you're about to see. The last time you saw Rage she was nothing but a vessel for my father, a tool he wanted to use to seize my mind. Now she's less dangerous but more hateful. She's the embodiment of all my anger and hatred, all the worst parts of me. She's going to say things to you- scream them, most likely. Things that will hurt you, things that might make you angry. The worst part is, some of them will be true, to a point"

"What do you mean true to a point?" Beastboy asked, worried.

"I'd rather explain afterwards if that's all right" Raven said, her eyes shifting away from his. "It will be easier. Just remember that I love you with all my heart. Okay?"

The green boy nodded, and the two young lovers continued on their way. Crossing the bridge was an ordeal for Beastboy- the stench of the area was ten times worse directly over the lava, and the intense heat didn't help matters a bit. Worst of all though was the ever-present feeling of danger- the bridge was old and rickety, swaying and creaking alarmingly as they slowly made their way across. There were several moments when Beastboy was certain that the bridge was about to collapse and pitch them both into the lake of fire. Raven, however, simply kept moving towards the far side of the bridge, never slowing or showing any sign of worry.

When they reached the island, they finally caught sight of the violent emotion, asleep on the ground. Beastboy was shocked to see how Rage was kept. The red cloaked emotion lay chained to the pillar that stood at the center of the island, with manacles attached to her arms, legs, and neck. Having been recently bound that way himself, he knew how uncomfortable and demeaning it was to be chained up like an animal. Besides, Rage didn't look very dangerous.

"Hey, Rae.." he said, hoping to convince his girlfriend that the chains weren't really necessary. However, before he could utter another syllable, Rage awoke. With a shriek of fury she rose into the air and leapt at the two heroes, straining her chains to the limit as she tried to reach them. Her eyes were both glowing bright red, and her teeth were sharp.

"WORTHLESS IMBECILIC WRETCH!" She screamed, pointing one finger at Beastboy "DISGUSTING SLOBBY ANIMAL!"

Shocked, the green hero stumbled back, while Raven simply stood watching, her hood concealing her face.

"Whoa I- what's your problem?" Beastboy stammered.

"What's my PROBLEM?! You SICKENING, drooling DOLT! YOU ARE MY PROBLEM!" Rage bellowed, struggling against her chains in an attempt to get her hands on the changeling. "YOU NEVER LEAVE ME IN PEACE! ALWAYS WHINING FOR MY ATTENTION LIKE SOME PATHETIC PUPPY! TELLING ME JOKES THAT WOULD BORE A TODDLER! RUNNING AROUND WITH THAT AUTISTIC WHORE FROM GOTHAM! I WISH I HAD NEVER MET YOU! I WISH YOU HAD NEVER BEEN BORN!"

"What? But…" Beastboy was stunned. Was this what Raven thought of him? "I don't understand"

"OH THERE'S A SURPRISE! BEASTBOY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING! MAYBE IF I PUT IT IN SIMPLER TERMS: I HATE YOU!

"Enough" said Raven, her voice flat and emotionless. Immediately, Rage was silenced by a band of dark energy, which formed across her mouth, though she continued to glower at the shapeshifter. "Beastboy, I brought you here so you would understand that not all emotions are as easy to deal with as the ones you met before. Your Fear is likely to be more like Rage than like Brave or Happy, and you have to be ready for that. Let's go."

They made the return crossing in silence, as Beastboy was busy trying to forget what Rage had said. Normally, he would have simply ignored it- Rage was hate personified, so of course she'd be hostile. But Raven had said before that there would be some truth to what the emotion said- how could he be sure that Raven didn't really hate him, didn't think of him as some pitiable animal? He had to admit, sometimes he wondered why one of the most gorgeous superheroines on the planet was dating his scrawny green butt. Maybe she just pitied him, and the moment he recovered from the Joker's traumatic torture she'd let him down easy.

"Do you remember what I said, Gar?" Raven said when they reached the other side. "To remember that I love you?"

"Yeah, but I also remember the rest of what you said" Beastboy muttered "How much of that was true, Rae?"

Raven sighed, and closed her eyes. With her hood up, Beastboy couldn't see her expression. "I've never thought of you as just an animal. Nor have I ever considered you worthless."

"But the rest of the stuff she said was true?" Beastboy said, as he felt a black pit open up in his stomach.

"All of it was true at one time or another."

"Huh?" Beastboy said "What does that mean? Either you hate me or you don't"

"Do you remember" Raven droned "When you heard Malchior and myself in my bedroom? How you heard us laughing at you? What were your exact thoughts at that moment?"

"Um…"

_As Beastboy heard the laughter, the laughter he'd tried to inspire for so very long, come from behind the sealed door, he felt a burning anger build up inside him. He'd never been anything but friendly and warm to Raven, he'd only ever tried to be her friend, and this was how she repaid him? Not only did she not tell him she'd met a boyfriend, but now the two were in there laughing at him. He'd come to see if she was all right, because he was concerned about his friend, and the two of them had made vicious jokes about his intelligence. He knew he wasn't the best person, but he deserved better than that._

_'Well, I may not be the smartest guy in the world' he thought as he walked down the hall towards the Common Room 'but I know this much- that's the last time I go out of my way to reach out to her. Icy schizophrenic bitch. Who needs her?'_

In the present, Beastboy hemmed and hawed for a moment before Raven cut him off. "It was something angry, I'm guessing? Probably bitter and insulting, right?"

"Uh, yeah" Beastboy muttered as he rubbed the back of his head.

"do you still feel that way?" Raven asked, her voice carefully neutral.

"No, of course not. I mean, yeah I was kinda hurt but once I cooled down, it wasn't too bad. I mean, at the time, we weren't too close, so if you wanted to make fun of me than it wasn't a huge deal."

Raven nodded her head. "Right. That's what I meant by true to a point. I've thought terrible things about you over the years- every time you've annoyed me during my meditation, every time you've pestered me with bad jokes, every time you've acted stupid and immature. Just like everyone else I get angry and think angry thoughts. .But imagine, if you will, that you couldn't calm down, that you had stayed angry. That every slight, every trivial annoyance, all added up over the years and you just got angrier and angrier with me. When you finally did lose your temper, I'm guessing it would sound a lot like Rage did just now."

"So what you're saying is that SOMETIMES you think I'm stupid, immature and pathetic, but then you shunt all that bad karma down to Rage?" Beastboy said in the slow tones of one who wants to be absolutely certain he understands. "You don't usually think that kinda stuff about me?"

Raven snorted. "Look, if you doubt me, then just follow me to Love's realm. I guarantee you, she'll erase all your doubts."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Titans forensic lab, Cyborg read over the results of his analyses with a scowl on his face. All his tests had yielded no useful information- no rare metals were used in making the stolen tools, nor were they easily traceable, nor had he made any headway in discovering why Slade wanted them so badly. He'd spent five hours in this lab, carefully studying the data, reading over the reports from the Hypertech Lab workers, and he was right where he started. He could have spent those hours playing video games and it would have come to the same thing. With a sigh, he turned to switch off the various machines and computers when there came a knock on the door.

"Come in" he called. The door slid open and the newest member of the Titans appeared carrying a tray with a steaming mug of coffee on it. Cassie smile at Cyborg as she entered the lab.

"Tim tell me you work late, and say I should bring you this. He says it his special blend coffee- very good." Cassie said, as she passed the tray over to Cyborg.

"Aw, that was great of him- I could really do with a coffee." The metal man smiled as he took a sip…which he immediately spat out with a look of revulsion on his face.

"Cyborg! What wrong?!" Cassie said in bewilderment as she moved t her large friend's side.

'That ain't coffee it's machine oil! That little…was that supposed to be some kind of JOKE?!" Cyborg said with a snarl "Oh ha ha, let's give the Tinman some oil kinda thing?!"

"I…I not know!" Cassie said, her arms raised in protest. "I thought it was coffee!"

"I know you did, Cass" Cyborg said, forcing himself to be calm "I don't blame you. But mark my words, Bird Boy will pay and pay dearly!"

A/N

Next chapter, Love gets her say and the prank war escalates.


	26. Chapter 26

The strangest thing about Raven's psychic landscape, Beastboy decided, was that there were no borders between the different realms it contained. One moment they had been walking through Rage's blasted landscape, with arid wasteland stretching as far as the eye could see. The next, they were walking a winding path through a grassy, moonlit park, which also seemed to go on forever in every direction. It was enough to make the green teen's head spin with confusion, but luckily the young hero was used to unusual events like this. He looked around at his new surroundings, and was surprised to find that he sort of recognized them. This wasn't just a field, this was an idealized version of a big park at night.

The night sky was bright with stars and an improbably large full moon, which lit the landscape with a pleasantly soft blue-green light. The grass was perfectly manicured, softer and healthier than any the far-traveled changeling had ever encountered. The trees were taller than they should be, and flowers bloomed on almost every branch, filling the cool air with their sweet scents. Here and there stood white marble statues, though he couldn't make out who they represented.

"Uh, Rae? What's with the park? I mean, this isn't exactly what I pictured Love's place would look like"

The empath stopped walking, and turned her hooded face towards Beastboy. "Oh? And what did you think it would look like?" she asked, and while he couldn't see her face to be sure, the changeling was almost positive his girlfriend was repressing a smile.

"Well" he said, with a naughty grin on his face "I dunno. A big bedroom with pictures of me? A big shrine to yours truly?"

"My, my" Raven droned "Aren't we egocentric today?"

"Rae, we've talked about this. No insulting me with words I can't understand. But seriously, why the park? Why no signs of love? Why's the place so big- I mean, we only fell in love a month ago"

"First, this isn't just any park. This is Jump City Central Park, on the ninth of December. The night of our first date, and the most romantic night of my life" Raven said, her normally cold voice now soft. "And while it's true you're only the second person I've ever had romantic feelings for, there are other kinds of love. I love all my family, both in Azerath and here in the Tower. As for signs of love, well, just look around you. Look closely at the statues."

Beastboy walked over to the nearest statue. It was a perfect representation of Starfire, her arms spread wide- obviously the alien girl was preparing to give one of her friends a massive hug. The stone face was alive with emotions- happiness, caring, trust and affection were all evident in the unmoving rock. It was hard to believe that this wasn't the real Starfire. Beastboy was no expert in art, his training with the Doom Patrol had been a far cry from a classical education, but he knew that this statue was an amazing piece of art, one a master sculptor would be proud to call his work.

As he gazed at the other statues, he saw they had two things in common: first they all bore the same high standard of work, and second they all depicted members of Raven's family. The other Titans were there, of course, each represented in an idealized form that nevertheless captured the true nature of the Titan in question. Robin was presented as a bold and charismatic leader, Cyborg as a towering pillar of strength (both outer and inner). There was a beautiful statue of a small woman he guessed was Raven's mother. Another statue showed a tall, slim man with a shaved head, and a chakra stone very similar to Raven's own- the plaque read, simply, AZAR.

Returning to the path he smiled at Raven. "Good to know you love us all, Rae, but where am I?"

Still wearing her hood up, Raven motioned for him to follow her. The two continued along the long, winding path.

* * *

Back in the real world, Cyborg paced furiously around the room he shared with Beastboy. His mind was filled with anger over what Robin had done that afternoon. Switching his coffee with something nasty was one thing- guys were guys and some pranks were inevitable. Cyborg liked to think that he was a big enough man to laugh at himself occasionally. He could even appreciate the execution of the prank: sending an innocent like Cassie to deliver the 'drink' was inspired, since no one would ever suspect her. It had been a masterly stroke, one worthy of Beastboy or himself. Frankly, he found himself a little impressed that Robin- who until now had always acted as though practical jokes were beneath him- had been able to put together such an excellent prank on his first attempt.

But the oil changed matters entirely. The substitution of machine oil for coffee was plainly a comment on his cybernetic status, a slam of his lack of humanity. That was something that Cyborg could NOT let stand unavenged. Obviously, something like this required a terrible vengeance. It required… The Book.

Striding purposefully to his recharging station, Cyborg reached underneath the machinery to a hidden storage compartment. After punching in an eight digit passcode, he slid the door opened and withdrew a thin spiral notebook on which was written Victor Stone's Book Of Pranks Volume Three.

Being a fairly creative guy, as well as a slightly mischievous one, Cyborg often had wonderful ideas for pranks and jokes, often when he least expected such ideas. The trouble was that Cyborg often had no reason to use his plans- aside from Beastboy none of the Titans really appreciated the fine art of practical joking, and he couldn't use ALL these brilliant schemes on just one person. So, the metal man would carefully write down the details of each and every new plan in this notebook (or one of its two predecessors) and wait for the right time to use them. Now, he needed his very best idea to repay this insult.

'Let's see' he thought as he thumbed through the pages of his book 'Hmm… All's Well That Ends Well? Nah, too tame. Sugar Coated? Doubt Starfire'd appreciate that one. Topsy-Turvy? No, where would I get that much Super Glue? Champagne Dreams? Where would I find a goat on such short notice? Wait a sec….I could always try…Happy Birthday.'

Cyborg paused in his thoughts, unsure of whether even this offense warranted Happy Birthday. It was the only plan in this book that Beastboy knew about, and both of them had agreed never to use it. They regarded it the way nations regard atomic weapons: Use it once, and all Hell is guaranteed to break loose. Still, motor oil….

'I'm going to need Beastboy's help with this one. Happy Birthday it is…and may God have mercy on my soul'

* * *

Back in Raven's mind, the young heroes finally reached their destination. At the end of the pathway stood a white wooden gazebo, which was built around a large statue. It depicted two young men, one elfin the other human, standing back to back with confident looks on their faces. With a start, Beastboy realized that both statues were statues of him- one representing himself as he was now, the other the way he would look as a 'normal' person. Whoever had created the previous statues had truly outdone themselves here. Both figures looked impossibly handsome and resolute, yet something in the eyes and the mouth suggested playfulness and fun. Moreover, they were both a tad more muscular than the real thing- idly, Beastboy made a note to start weight training.

Sitting on a stone bench, gazing up at the statues with adoration, was a girl in a dark purple cloak. She turned her head to greet her visitors, revealing Raven's face. But this version of Raven seemed different than the others. For one thing, a slight blush tinged her cheeks and for another she was smiling softly.

"H-Hello, Garfield. I've looked forward to meeting you for some time."

"Hi" Beastboy said, a little put off by the way the emotion was looking at him. She was giving him her complete and total attention- he had a feeling that every ounce of her focus was directed at him. Although the green boy ordinarily loved attention, this was a bit…creepy. "You, uh, wanted to see me?"

"Very much so, yes. But I felt it was important that you speak with me today- I know how Rage can be, and I wanted to make sure you didn't leave here with the wrong idea in your head. I am living proof that Raven loves you, Garfield- before you and she came together I was a fairly weak emotion, but now I am strong."

Beastboy decided to take a chance and ask a question that had troubled him for some time. "Why though? I mean, I'm nothing very special- I'm not too smart, I'm hyper, I'm easily distracted, I'm never serious… Heck, when the team first started, I bet Cy five bucks that you'd wind up with Robin!"

Raven's eyes narrowed beneath her hood, but Love simply smiled. "Raven went out with Robin once. It ended badly, but she will tell you about it later. As for why she loves you… I suppose the simplest way to put it is that you reached out to her."

Beastboy was stunned at the revelation that Raven and Robin had dated, but filed that away for later. He chose to continue this line of inquiry "But we all reach out to her! I mean, she works on the car with Cyborg, trains with Robin, meditates with Star…"

"True, she is included in the Titan's activities but no one tries to make her feel welcome in the way that you do. Raven has always had issues with acceptance and self-esteem- deep down, she does not believe she is worthy of being accepted or welcomed. That is why Malchior-"

here Beastboy interrupted "Hereafter known as the Lying Worm Bastard"

Love laughed softly before continuing. "Why the Lying Worm Bastard- thank you- was able to manipulate her so easily. He offered her acceptance without strings, love without the need for change- the easy way. You offered acceptance with compromises which is harder, but ultimately more likely to be satisfying. You have always done your best to make Raven feel accepted, respected, and happy, and that you like her for who she is not what she can do- something absolutely no one has ever done for her before. You are also cute, funny, sweet and creative. Is it any wonder she loves you?"

Beastboy felt about ten feet tall. "Well, now when you put it like that…"

Raven grabbed his arm "Come on, Romeo. It's time we headed home- Love, thank you for explaining things to him.I won't forget our agreement."

With a flash of light, the two vanished from Nevermore, before reappearing on the roof top. Beastboy shook his head violently before turning to his girlfriend. "All right, Rae, spill. What happened between you and Robin? And what's this agreement you have with Love?"

Raven looked profoundly uncomfortable. "Can I answer the first question later, Gar? I promise you it's nothing bad, but still…it's kind of embarassing."

The green hero nodded. "Sure, Rae, I trust you but make sure you do tell me. And the second?"

Raven sighed and closed her eyes "I promised that once we became…intimate…I would take you back to Love and let her have a turn."

Beastboy was silent for a moment and then he breathed out a single word.

"Duuude"


	27. Chapter 27

Beastboy strolled down the hallways of the Tower feeling better about himself than he had in months. He was young, he was free, and he was in love with a beautiful and intelligent girl who'd just promised a threesome with her most amorous emotion. His friends were all happy and the city was at peace. Yep, everything seemed to be going his way…

Except- and here Beastboy's previously jaunty strut slowed into a thoughtful plodding- except that his girlfriend had hidden a previous relationship from him. A relationship with ROBIN of all people. Beastboy had always had a bit of a complex about Robin- he'd admired the Boy Wonder for so long that he always felt like the masked boy was far superior to himself. Why would Raven hide it from him, unless she still had feelings for Robin Like a chain reaction, more negative thoughts came into the green boys head, further disrupting his happy mood.

'Oh, yeah, everything's terrific… except that I wake up screaming every night. Except that that damned treatment of Rob's hasn't made me any less afraid of being alone. Except that everytime I hear someone laugh for too long, I start freaking out. Except that I'm always feeling dirty and filthy, and that I zone out in the shower. Apart from that everything's completely-'

"WHOA!" Beastboy yelped as a large metal hand reached out of a doorway and grabbed the green teen, pulling him into a darkened storage room. At first, the changeling was certain that this was another kidnapping attempt, and he spun around ready to fight. When he saw Cyborg looking at him curiously, he forced himself to relax.

"Hey, B, how was meditation?" The metal man asked distractedly then continued before his friend could answer "Really? That's great. Listen, I need your help in executing Happy Birthday on Robin."

All anger at being dragged into a storage room were blasted out of Beastboy's head by the enormity of this request. "Happy Birthday?! Dude, what'd Robbie do, kill your dog? Seduce your mom? What?"

"He switched my coffee with motor oil" Cyborg growled grimly, knowing that Beastboy would understand the enormity of the offense.

The green boy didn't let him down. "What?! Whoa, that is SO out of line" he said as his eyes bulged "So, okay, I see why you're mad and I don't blame you. But, Cy… Happy Birthday? I think we both know that's way extreme, even for this. I'll give you Roll Out The Barrel or Yak Shaving Day, but I will NOT be a party to Happy Birthday. I'm sorry, but that's just how I feel." The green changeling crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Cyborg sighed "FINE we'll go with Roll Out The Barrel you big sissy. Now, let's go back to the room so I can break out the teleportation transponders while you snag one of Gel Head's costumes."

* * *

Raven stood on the roof, enjoying the late afternoon sunlight. Despite what people thought, she actually did like sunshine, just not all the time. In fact, she thought of sunlight the same way she thought of alcohol- fun in small doses, but no fun at all when taken to extremes. Besides, she always got burned- her pale skin was physically incapable of tanning, so she always wound up red as a boiled lobster whenever the Titans dragged her to the beach.

She felt someone approaching her, and judging by his or her emotions (nervous and hesitant), she had a good guess who it was. Starfire was never nervous, nor was Robin, while Beastboy rarely hesitated unless she was angry. That left Cyborg and Cassie, and she hadn't heard Cyborg's heavy footsteps coming up the stairwell. That mean…

"Hello Cassie" she said without turning around. It always did to put the other person a little in awe of you. "What can I do for you?"

Cassie, however, had spent years working alongside Batman. She took it for granted that everyone could identify people by the sound of their walk and the way they smelled. "Raven, Starfire and me going for rooftop run tonight. Wanted to know if you like to come with us."

Raven considered this. She had been meaning to spend time with Cassie, to cement their nascent friendship. This sounded like a very good opportunity to do just that. "That sounds good, Cassie. What time?"

"Midnight. City at most interesting, and few people above street level. Be fun."

Raven nodded slightly "I'll be there"

* * *

Step one of Roll Out The Barrel was simple enough. The pranking pair knew that Robin would be in the shower at this time, having just finished his personal workout. When he emerged from the bathroom, he found Beastboy waiting for him with a fresh uniform.

"Here ya go, Rob" Beastboy said as he handed his bewildered leader the clothes "I heard you were planning on doing some research on the Slade robberies today, and thought I'd bring you a fresh suit. I know how the suit helps you focus on hero stuff. Just my way of saying thanks for all your help with my, y'know… problems."

Robin smiled, and took the suit with a thankful nod to his friend. "My pleasure, Beastboy, believe me. Thanks for the uniform though." With that, the Boy Wonder slipped back into the bathroom to change into his fresh costume, unaware of his peril.

Some time ago, the Justice League had offered to share its teleportation technology with the other, smaller super teams around the world. Some had accepted gratefully, but others- like the Teen Titans- had politely turned the offer down. Being a strictly local group, the Titans had little need for instantaneous long-range transport and even less use for what amounted to a permanent hole in their defensive grid. As Robin had privately told his team, the League's headquarters had more than once been invaded by villains who had hijacked the teleporters. However, following the battle with the Brotherhood of Evil, the Titans had seen the need for an emergency exit from the Tower and so had requested five JLA transponders, which would allow the bearer to teleport to the Watchtower at need. For safety reasons, these transponders- small discs each the size of a pea- were kept in Cyborg's room and were only to be accessed in case of emergency. Cyborg felt this qualified nicely.

It was a simple matter for the shapeshifter to make his way into Robin's room. Locks and alarms are no obstacle to someone who can change into a fly, or a bacteria. Likewise, Robin's outfits were designed to be lightweight- light enough for a rat to drag one all the way to the room shared by Cyborg and Beastboy. After that, it was merely a matter of attaching a transponder to the back of the shirt and rewiring it so that it would ignore organic materials- thus teleporting only the clothing and not the wearer. This was the essence of Roll Out The Barrel, to leave the victim as naked as the day they were born- which in cartoons was, as Beastboy had pointed out, normally when the naked character would pull a barrel out of nowhere in order to cover themselves.

Returning to their room, Beastboy found his partner-in-crime hunched over his massive security terminal. From here, the metal man was able to monitor the security of the whole Tower- including room cameras. The large teen had a frankly evil look in his eye as he motioned Beastboy over to the main monitor.

"You gave him the costume?" Cyborg asked.

""Yeah" Beastboy said, rubbing the back of his head nervously "Listen, Cy, I know you're mad at Rob right now but we're not going to, like, strip him in front of the press or Starfire or anything, right?"

Cyborg shook his head "nah, we'll do it when he's alone in his room- I'm not trying to destroy the little traffic light after all. He's heading to his room now; I've set the teleporter beacon to activate in four minutes. That'll give him plenty of time to get to his room, settle in, get comfy- and then WHOOSH! Hello Robin Au Naturel! Best part is, we don't have to worry about timing it right- the machine'll do it for us. See, there, he's already entering his bedroom. Now sit your green butt down and enjoy the show!"

Indeed, the viewscreen showed Robin entering his room. After a short stretch of paging through a magazine, the Boy Wonder moved to his personal communication set- one which allowed him to reach not only Batman but most of Earth's prominent heroes. Cyborg scratched his head, puzzled by this. Normally, Robin was extremely predictable in making his reports to Gotham- and if he did vary from the schedule, he almost always told Cyborg in advance so the metal man wouldn't worry about unexplained calls in the comm logs. After a moment, the large screen in Robin's room came to life.

"Dude, is that…?" Beastboy leaned closer to the screen, squinting to try and get a clear look.

Cyborg mimicked his actions and replied "I…think…it might be…"

The two looked at one another, then back at the screen. Then, in perfect unison, they cried out:  
"SUPERMAN?!"

In a panic Beastboy glanced to the countdown timer. It read 1:37. "QUICK, CYBORG! Turn this thing off! ABORT! ABORT!" The green boy waved his arms, terror seizing him. He knew how much Robin looked up to Superman- if Batman was Robin's father, then Superman was his uncle.

Cyborg was already at the controls, furiously tapping in commands. "I CAN'T! The JLA computer is already making the calculations for the teleport! I'm locked out!"

In horror, the two looked again at the timer, as it ticked slowly towards disaster.

* * *

"…So that's the situation, Robin. A set of experimental miniaturized fuel cells were stolen from Metropolis Labs by orange and black- I think the term you used was Sladebots?"

"Yeah." Robin said with a sigh "Thanks a lot for the heads up Superman. I just wish I knew what he was up to! So far, he's taken a set of expensive and specialized tools and some generic circuits, and now the fuel cells!"

The Last Son of Krypton frowned slightly. "Robin, from what I understand, this Slade has always stuck to Jump City until now. Why has he suddenly struck in another city now? And why Metropolis of all places? Especially when…" The man of steel trailed off, a slight blush tingeing his features.

"..Especially when YOU'RE Metropolis' resident hero?" Robin smiled slightly, despite the bad news he'd received. One of Superman's most endearing qualities was that despite his awesome power and near-legendary status, he remained amazingly humble- even slightly embarrassed about the whole thing. It was one of many, many reasons that Robin had such enormous respect for the man. "Slade is a lot of things, Superman, but timid isn't one of them."

At that moment a strange sound split the air, accompanied by a dazzling burst of light. Robin was suddenly aware of a chill breeze across his entire body. He glanced down… to find that he was, inexplicably, completely naked. With a squawk of surprise he moved his hands to cover himself, but saw already that it was too late. Superman, the most respected hero in the world, was desperately trying not to laugh at him.

Robin slammed his fist on the computers off button, breaking the connection, before he went in search of the perpetrators of this crime. In Titans Tower, there were only two people who might do such a thing to him.

"BEASTBOY! CYBORG!"

Back in their room, the two young men frantically moved their furniture in front of the door in an attempt to wall of Robin's impending fury. Although it wouldn't prevent the sliding door from opening, it WOULD block entry to the room and access to their bodies. They could HEAR the Boy Wonder pounding down the corridor, bellowing their names. All too soon for their liking, they heard him hammering on the door.

"BEASTBOY! CYBORG! COME OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!"

"N-now Rob" Beastboy said in his best please-Raven-don't-kill-me voice "Let's… let's just calm down, all right? We didn't know you'd be calling Superman when we rigged your costume to-OW!" The changeling reeled back from Cyborg's ringing slap.

"Cabbage Head! Why did you go and confess?!" the metallic teen hissed "What he meant to say, Rob, was…"

"I! WILL! MURDER! YOU!" Robin roared as he resumed pounding on the door in fury.

"Boyfriend Tim" Starfire's voice said "I have prepared something that I wish you to- why are you naked? Is this some new Terran custom of which I was unaware?"

"STAR! I- They- Superman- GAHH!" Robin screamed, as he raced away back to his room. As he fled, he called out to his soon-to-be victims. "THIS ISN'T OVER!"

Within the sealed room, Beastboy and Cyborg turned to one another and promptly burst out laughing. Beastboy suddenly felt good- despite everything that was still wrong with him, life was pretty sweet.

A/N  
I don't see Starfire as being shocked by nudity. Based on what I know about Tamaran in the comics, seems to me she'd be more surprised than shocked to find her boyfriend naked in the halls.

Happy Birthday is whatever your mind says it is.

Sorry about the delays- it's the High Holy Days this week, and I've been busy. Consider this extra long chapter my apology to you.


	28. Chapter 28

The rest of the day proceeded reasonably quietly. Beastboy and Cyborg stayed barricaded in their room, while Robin prowled the halls of the Tower trying to come up with an appropriate revenge. The girls, meanwhile, remained largely oblivious to the conflict; they knew SOMETHING had happened, but they didn't know what. Raven took it upon herself to bring the two shut-ins a portion of dinner- Alfred had prepared his famous Leg of Lamb ala Pennyworth, while Beastboy tucked into a large portion of manicotti al dente. The two ate sparingly, despite the high quality of the food, as they were terrified of Robin's ire and eventual vengeance.

Starfire attempted to get to the bottom of things by confronting Robin directly. When she asked what Beastboy and Cyborg had done that was so terrible, the Boy Wonder had simply blushed and mumbled something about 'lines that shouldn't be crossed' and stalked back to his room to fume. Thus did the Titans spend their day, while Alfred chuckled to himself. He knew from experience that Tim Drake was an experienced practical joker- having studied extensively under Dick Grayson- and the old butler felt it would be good for his young friend to indulge in some childishness. It would help him reclaim his civilian identity.

At midnight, Raven made her way to the Tower common room, to meet the other girls before their rooftop run. Starfire was already seated on the couch, waiting impatiently, excited for a late night outing with two of her closest friends. Beside her sat three large bottles of water, each a different color- black, purple and pink. Clearly, the alien girl had thought ahead and brought refreshment for all three girls.

"Oh, Friend Raven! I am overjoyed that you have decided to join us on this excursion! Please, have you seen Friend Cassie? I am most eager to begin!" Starfire chirped. Raven felt like smiling; it was impossible to truly feel gloomy when Starfire was in such a happy mood.

"No, Star, I haven't" she replied in her usual monotone "Thanks for the water, Star, though I doubt we'll need it."

"Always good idea to have water" Cassie said, appearing silently behind Raven. The empath started in shock- how had she not noticed the Asian girl come in? She spun around and saw that Cassie was wearing her Batgirl uniform.

"All right, Cassie, you're the expert. Where should we start this thing?" Raven asked, her eyes glowing white as she prepared to teleport.

"Big bank on Jergen avenue" Batgirl said without hesitation "Tall one with gold fronting.'

No sooner had she said the words then the trio vanished from the Tower, and reappeared in a burst of energy atop the bank. The Metro Bank's central branch was one of the taller buildings in Jump City, and was surrounded by skyscrapers that were almost as tall. Starfire shivered in the chill night air, and turned to the vigilante with a questioning look on her face.

"Friend Cassie, are you certain you want to begin here?" She asked "T wind is quite up here. It will be most difficult to fly properly in these conditions"

Batgirl gave a small laugh. "Fly, Starfire? Not fly. Run."

Raven looked over the edge, at the long drop down to ground level, then back at her friend. "You're kidding, right/"

In response, Batgirl turned and sprinted towards the farthest edge of the roof. Reaching the edge, she made a leap that any Olympiad would envy, somersaulting twice in the air before landing safely on the next building. Once there, she turned back to her friends and waved in a come-on manner.

"You aren't kidding" Raven sighed.

Raven had never been one for physical exercise. While she kept herself trim, and took a certain detached pride in her figure, she rarely performed any strenuous activity. Azerathian body-control training allowed her to speed up or slow down her metabolism at will- meaning she could eat what she wanted and then order her body to burn off the fat while she meditated. Even her training rarely forced her to break a sweat; as a psychic/telekinetic sorceress, Robin had agreed that she had little use for physical power. The only time she had to run was during missions, and then she was generally aided by adrenaline. She was regretting all of this deeply now.

They had only been running a few minutes but already Raven was suffering. She was puffing and wheezing like an asthmatic, her legs and chest were burning, and her stomach kept insisting it was about to empty itself. Her black leotard was stained with sweat, her thighs were chafing, and her head was hurting. Plus, she was really starting to wish she'd thought to wear a sports bra- though she thanked heaven she'd thought to wear sneakers

. What was worst of all, though, was the way her friends kept encouraging her to keep going. Batgirl kept waving at her to keep going, while Starfire would occasionally double back to help her friend keep up. She knew they both meant well, and were doing this so she wouldn't be totally left out and left behind…But right now, she would joyfully murder the pair of them. Slowly. Horribly. Messily.

She COULD call for a halt. She could announce that she was tired and needed a rest. But that would involve admitting failure, admitting that she was out of shape. So Raven kept running, dragged onward by her own pride.

For her part, Starfire was having a wonderful time. She hadn't been out running like this since she was a youngling on Tamaran. The cool night air, coupled with the glow of the cityscape, put her in mind of nights spent racing her friends through the glow-flower orchards of the palace. She laughed, as she thought of how odd she would look now to her old friends. She was glad that Friend Cassie had invited her to run tonight, but she was saddened that Raven seemed unwilling to keep up. Starfire was unaware that humans (and part-humans) lacked the phenomenal stamina of Tamaranians, who had evolved from plains dwelling predators. Consequently, she assumed that if Raven could not keep up with them, it was because she did not wish to. So she would sometimes go back and pull her dear friend forward , or help her to her feet when she tripped. 'Perhaps then Friend Raven will see that we wish her to join us' Starfire thought as she prepared to go back again 'and she will begin to run on her own'

Cassie, meanwhile, was puzzled by Raven's difficulty in keeping up. She wasn't trying to be cruel to the dark sorceress at all. What Cassie didn't know was how different her standards of comparison were from ordinary people. The daughter of David Cain had been subjected to rigorous training almost from birth- she had almost as little knowledge of normal human limits as Starfire. In deference to her friends' lack of training, she had limited her pace to a brisk jog- and still the pale girl lagged behind, wheezing with effort. She wasn't sure she could go much slower without slowing to a walk. Eventually, she decided to give them all a rest and see what the trouble was- when the decision was taken out of her hands.

A massive explosion rocked the night air, followed by boisterous yells and cheers. As one, the three heroines raced in the direction of the sound, with Starfire and a very grateful Raven taking to the air. Within moments, they found themselves outside of the Jump City Medical College, where the explosion had blasted a large hole in one wall. From within more shouting could be heard- apparently, the culprits were still inside. They could hear sirens wailing in the distance as the police approached, but experience had taught the Titans that the JCPD weren't equipped to deal with this sort of thing. Therefore, it was up to them.

"Raven, you seem unable to battle at present. I believe it would be best if you remained outside and informed the others. Friend Batgirl and I shall enter and seek out our nemeses" Starfire said, issuing orders with the ease of those born to rule "Tell Robin that we shall not act until he and Cyborg have arrived. Are we all in agreement?"

"Sounds (gasp) good" Raven wheezed. She still hadn't gotten her breath back, and knew that she'd need a minute or two before she could fight "But one thing, Star. When you (pant) see who's responsible, come right back. Robin will need to know."

"Affirmative" the warrior princess said, as she moved to enter the building "Come, Batgirl, we must move quickly"

Starfire crept forward, with Batgirl moving behind her in complete silence.

* * *

Back at Titans Tower, Tim fumed in his room. He was seated at his desk, trying vainly to concentrate. This had never happened to him before- and although he'd heard it happened to every guy sometimes, he still felt ashamed. He had Pranker's Block. He couldn't think of a single trick or joke that could even come close to paying his teammates back for the humiliation he'd suffered. It was intolerable!

"What the hell happened to me?!" he cried aloud in frustration. "I used to be able to nail Dick with brilliant tricks and perfect pranks, all on a moments notice! Now I can't think up one single lousy gag?!"

'You've lost your touch' his treacherous mind said 'You've gotten out of practice. After all, Robin doesn't play jokes or tricks- they're beneath him. Tim Drake liked them and you haven't let yourself be Tim for a long while now'

With a sigh of resignation, Tim sat back and contemplated this idea. Maybe it was true- he'd been so caught up in the role of the serious young hero that he'd forgotten how to be himself. He'd have to work on that, starting by getting back at his so-called friends, Beastboy and Cyborg.

His thoughts were interrupted by the chiming of his communicator. "Robin here" he said as he answered.

"Robin this is Raven" came the reply. She sounded hoarse, tired and out of breath.

"Raven? You sound terrible. Have you been fighting?"

"…Something like that, yes. There's been a break-in at the Jump City Medical College- and I think we're dealing with some heavy duty crooks here. They entered the building by blowing up half of one wall. Starfire and Batgirl have entered the building to scout out the situation, but want you to know they won't act until you get here"

"Got it." Robin said, standing up to change into his uniform. "Anything else?"

"Yes" Raven replied "I'm…sort of…unable to fight just at the moment. I hope I'll be all right by the time you get here, but I'm not sure I will be. Be warned. Raven out."

"Great" Robin said as he reached for his mask. Tapping the communicator again, he called Cyborg. "Robin to Cyborg- your demise is postponed. Someone's attacked the medical college. Meet me in the garage in three minutes. Robin out."


	29. Chapter 29

A few minutes after his teammates departure, Beastboy tentatively ventured from his bedroom, in search of company. He knew it was late- almost half past twelve, now- but he couldn't just stay in that room alone. He kept feeling as though someone were watching him, waiting for him to let down his guard and then... he shivered. 'Enough of that' he thought 'Gotta find someone. Anyone.'  
He knew it was probably too late for that Alfred dude to be up, but maybe Rob had sent one of the girls back to keep him company. His sensitive nose detected the scent of tealeaves, and his ears picked up the sound of a kettle whistling. Tea meant Raven- Raven and him, all alone in the Tower…with a smile on his face he headed for the kitchen.

He was surprised to find Alfred sitting at the table nursing a cup of tea and looking at the clock. The butler wore an old red bathrobe over blue and white striped pajamas. His expression was unreadable, but his scent carried both worry and resignation. Not wishing to startle the elderly man, Beastboy knocked softly on the doorframe. "You're up too, huh Alfred? Mind if I join you?"

"Indeed not, young sir" \the Englishman replied "Would you care for some tea? I find it helps to pass the time"

"No thanks, I'll just have a soda" the green boy replied, as he took one from the refrigerator. "I guess you have a lot of experience with this, huh? Waiting for the others to come home from fighting?"

"I do indeed" Alfred said with a sigh "Twenty years and more. Incidentally, I wish to pass along Master Bruce's condolences, as well as my own, on your ordeal."

"thanks" the changeling said absently, as he fidgeted with his soda can. The room was silent for a moment, then Beastboy said "Does it ever get easier? Waiting for them to come back, I mean?"

Alfred sighed and sipped his tea "If you are asking if the worry ever lessens, then I'm afraid it does not. Not really. I fear for Master Bruce every bit as much now as I did on his first night as Batman. One simply adapts to the fear- in time, you will be able to function normally, although the fear will always be in the back of your mind. Although, in your case, I doubt such adaptation will prove necessary- Master Timothy informed me that you were undergoing a sort of therapy, correct?"

"Uh, yeah" Beastboy said, scratching his head. In truth, Ro bin had specifically told him not to reveal any details about his treatment to Alfred. The last thing the Titans needed was Batman- and the Justice League- looking over their shoulders as they healed their teammate. Looking up, the young hero could see Alfred readying himself to begin probing the issue and he knew that he wouldn't be able to hold out. In the brief time that he'd known him, Beastboy had been impressed with the Englishman's ability to get virtually anyone to open up. His only hope was to derail the questioning before it began. Luckily, he was the master of the nonsequitor. "So, uh, tell me…what's Europe like? I mean, I've been to all kinds of different places but I've never been there."

Alfred sensed that continuing to question the green boy would yield no useful results. It was, to his way of thinking a pity- though he had immense respect for the abilities of the Teen Titans the fact remained that they were young and inexperienced. It would have been good to know that this young man was receiving formal care, but Alfred knew when to abandon a cause. "Europe is comprised of many nations, Garfield, and I have only been to a handful of them. But I would be happy to share those experiences with you."

The ride to Jump City Medical College had been uncomfortable for both Robin and Cyborg. Both had been the victims of vicious pranks, tricks that had crossed the line between mere joking around and real, serious insults. Both were angry, and both were hurt, and neither had any idea of what to do to fix this. Both knew they were at least partially in the wrong- Cyborg knew he shouldn't have executed so vicious a prank, while Robin knew he was guilty of overreacting. Still, neither was willing to take the first step and apologize, and the drive was made in chilly silence.

Upon arrival, Robin leapt from the T-Car and surveyed the scene. Batgirl, Starfire and Raven all squatted amidst the debris caused by the initial explosion. Robin moved cautiously to where Starfire waited.

"What's the situation, Star" he asked.

"The College has been invaded by Adonis and Mumbo Jumbo" Starfire replied "They have placed some sort of automated weapons in the large chamber ahead. Whenever we attempt to approach, they open fire and we are driven back."

Robin reached into his utility belt and pulled out a miniaturized pair of binoculars. Cautiously, he inched out of cover and peered into the gloom of the building, as his binoculars automatically compensated for the darkness. Sure enough, three guns mounted on tripods stood in the middle of the closest room- all positioned so that it was impossible to approach them without entering their field of fire. In the spirit of experimentation, Robin picked up a small rocked and tossed it into the chamber. Before it had flown more than ten feet, one of the guns spun and fired a blast of crimson energy, vaporizing the rock. Robin frowned; not only had the attack been too powerful for even Cyborg to withstand, it had been fast enough to ensure there was no chance of out running it.

Something about the whole situation bothered him. Neither Mumbo nor Adonis would normally attack this place, nor would they have shown enough forethought to set up such a defense. Even more suspicious was the way the defense was rigged- it would have been no challenge for the Titans under normal circumstances. Ordinarily, he would have ordered Beastboy to slip past the guns as a mouse or a fly, then take them out from behind. The whole thing was worthless in the face of a shapeshifter, which lead to one disturbing conclusion: Whoever had planned this KNEW that the changeling would not be on this mission. Robin didn't like what that implied.

Right now, though, he had a job to do. Ducking back into cover, he waved his teammates over. "I think the guns are linked to motion detectors" he said "Which means we can't just rush them. Raven, I need you to teleport us directly behind the guns. They're probably programmed with that in mind, though, so Starfire be ready to attack the second we arrive. Now, we'll have lost all element of surprise after this, so I want everyone to move as quickly as they can in the direction of the labs- that's the only place here with anything worth taking. Everyone ready? TITANS GO!"

Adonis was not a patient person. He had never been one, and he knew it. Normally, he would never even contemplate spending an entire night watching a blue skinned magician wannabe stuff pills and blood packs into a top hat. However, someone had offered him ninety grand to do just that, and ninety grand bought a lot of patience even from him. Right now, he checked over the systems on his new armor as he waited for the Titans to arrive.

In the far corner of the lab, Mumbo Jumbo was finishing up his end of the job. He placed another four pints of plasma into his hat and tapped the side with his wand. "Mumbo Jumbo!" he cried and a puff of smoke burst from the opening as another load was sent to their mysterious employer. It was an odd heist to be sure, Mumbo reflected. Normally, people hired supercriminals to steal weapons, plutonium, dangerous and forbidden tomes of arcane knowledge… not plasma and medicine. Still, he needed money badly- white rabbits didn't come free after all. So he'd agreed to the job, even if it meant working with the weird kid in the tin suit.

A series of explosions echoed through the building, and inside of his armor Adonis smirked. He'd known that the guns wouldn't hold his enemies for long, but as their boss had said, they'd held them long enough. "Hey, freak" he called "Time to fight!"

"Fight?" Mumbo said, a puzzled expression "Dear boy, I'm an ENTERTAINER not a fighter! Besides, I'm only getting paid for the robbery. Now that the Titan's are here, it's time to exit stage left! MUMBO JUMBO!" The irritating illusionist, defying several laws of physics, hopped into his hat, which then collapsed in on itself until it, too, vanished with a pop.

"FINE!" Adonis roared, his fury rising "I don't need you, you two-bit David Copperfield wannabe! I fought the Titans alone before, and this time they don't have the green freak to save them!"

"Wow. You're just making friends all over aren't you?" came a monotone voice from behind him. The Titans stood in the entrance to the lab, their faces angry. Immediately, he noticed that the green boy was indeed absent, just as his new boss had assured him. The next thing he noticed was that the freak had been replaced by a hot girl in a tight outfit which- to his mind- was a pretty good trade. The gray chick stepped forward, her eyes glowing blood red "Oh, and calling my boyfriend a freak? NOT the smartest move."

Inside his armor, Adonis smirked with the arrogance of the woefully uninformed. 'Ooo, so the goth thinks her glowy eyes can scare me?'

Raven was looking forward to this. Not only had Adonis humiliated her team in the past, not only had he rendered her unconscious for several days, but he had also been responsible for the creation of the Beast. She knew well how her boyfriend suffered from the monster's presence in his psyche- and here was the jerk responsible. She smiled a cold smile, eagerly anticipating vengeance…when a large hand landed gently on her shoulder. She looked up to see Cyborg with a pleading look on his face.

"Raven, I need to ask a favor from you. I can't explain right now, but I want first crack at this jerk. I need it more than you do. Please?"

Raven considered for a moment. On the one hand, she had a hard time imagining how anyone could need to beat Adonis worse than she did. He'd hurt her, hurt her team, and hurt her love. But she knew that Cyborg already knew all that. If he felt he had a greater claim to vengeance than she did, then she would just have to trust him. She stepped back and bowed from the waist, right arm extended. "All yours"

Cyborg chuckled nastily and advanced on the armored oaf, smacking his left fist into his right palm. "Oh, yeah. This is gonna be sweet"

A/N  
Sorry about the delays. I'm starting my Masters Program and time is a little scarce right now.

Next up: Cyborg whups some canned ass. Is it just me or does the Tinman not get enough combat time in most stories?


	30. Chapter 30

The arrogant, armored Adonis attacked with a roar. He came in fast, bringing his fist down overhand in an attempt to end the fight with one mighty blow. From what he remembered of his last battle with the Titans, the metal guy was the least agile of the Titans, and he had no doubt that when his punch landed it would finish the job. He was somewhat surprised, then, when Cyborg neatly sidestepped the attack and smashed his right fist into Adonis' gut. Pulling away, the young villain glanced down. To his surprise, Cyborg's punch had dented the reinforced titanium of his armor.

"Y-You" he stammered "You dented my armor! HOW?! You're WEAK!"

"Funny thing" Cyborg said, as the two fighters warily circled one another "After we beat you the last time, I decided to upgrade my systems a bit. You know, faster reflexes, more strength…nothing fancy. But I'm betting, Donny, that it never occurred to you to do the same"

"HA!" The arrogant youth scoffed, deciding not to dignify 'Donny' with a response "I'm ADONIS, weakling! I am already perfect- how can I improve?"

'Oh, I don't know. You might start by keeping your guard up" Cyborg said, landing another solid punch which sent Adonis stumbling back "Besides, Donny, don't think that's the issue at all. I don't think you know how to improve that tin suit of yours. It's not natural armor like Steel, and I don't think you're smart enough to have built it on your own. And you're damn sure not smart enough to upgrade it"

"Of course I did!" Adonis bellowed, his temper rising quickly. "I'm the greatest and I built the greatest armor!" He punctuated his claim by launching a wild haymaker at Cyborg, who easily ducked.

"I'm sure ya'd like to believe that, Donny" Cyborg said, as he hit his opponent with an uppercut "But I don't think its true. I think you're just another two-bit punk who's trying to hide behind stolen technology."

"I AM ADONIS!" roared the now furious villain "I AM THE GREATEST! I AM A GOD! YOU ARE NOTHING!" with that he began a series of frenzied attacks, all of which Cyborg dodged easily.

"tsk tsk tsk" Cyborg said with a smirk as he ducked and weaved around the amateurish assault "Methinks the punk doth protest too much! Struck a nerve, huh? Maybe you're not just another two-bit punk, after all. I think you're an INSECURE two-bit punk."

To one side, the Titans waited, puzzled by their friends bizarre actions. Cyborg wasn't normally the bantering type- beat 'em, cuff 'em and go home was his usual attitude. But in truth, the metal man had a plan. Cyborg knew that, even with the enhancements he'd made to his systems, Adonis was more powerful than he was. However, he also knew that Adonis was arrogant and boastful, and he knew from experience how easy it was to turn those traits into combat liabilities. He also knew how vulnerable an enraged fighter was. Since he couldn't simply beat Adonis physically, he'd let the tin-plated teen beat himself.

"Ooo, almost had me there Donny!" He cried, dodging a roundhouse kick, and delivering another thunderous punch to his opponent's armor. As he was about to move away, he noticed that his last attack had opened up the armor a tiny bit, exposing some wiring. Deciding to take the risk, he darted back in and grabbed hold of the wires before yanking them free.

The result was catastrophic. Where before Adonis had moved with, if not grace then at least coordination, now his motions took on a wild, spastic quality. He leaped forward across the room (sending the other Titans rushing out of his way), then back, then kicked through a wall, all the while flailing his arms wildly. "H-Hey!" Adonis yelled, fear entering his voice "What's going on? What did you do?"

"Wwwweeeelllll..." Cyborg drawled, as he contemplated his adversary's predicament from a distance. "If I had to guess, Donny, I'd say I damaged the negative feedback relays to your suit. You know what those are, right Donny? A smart god like you would HAVE to know how his own armor worked, right?"

"SHUT UP!" Adonis howled, panic and fear warring for supremacy in his voice "JUST TELL ME!"

"Well, you know how your suit makes you super-strong, right Donny? Did you ever wonder how that actually works? If my guess is right, you've got sensors in there that detect the motions of your limbs and automatically match the motion- adding their strength to yours. Basic stuff, really- the real secret of that kind of technology is the negative feedback systems. Those are the circuits that tell the suit how MUCH to help, based on how much your limbs move. That kind of thing is really high-tech, and its the reason the army isn't using tin uniforms by now" Cyborg smirked, enjoying the arrogant bastard's discomfort. He crossed his arms and leaned back against a lab table as he continued his response.

"Without 'em, you've got no control over all that strength- basically, whenever you move even a bit, your suit kicks in with full power. A step becomes a leap, a twitch becomes a punch. Of course since you're using 100 percent power all the time, I doubt you'll be able to keep it up for long. MY guess is your suit will overheat pretty soon and then...well, you've seen a baked potato cook in aluminum foil, right? Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside"

"AAAAAHHH!" Adonis shrieked in terror, his panic only making the suit's antics even worse. "I GOTTA TURN IT OFF! HELP ME!"

"What?" Cyborg said, his tone one of perfect astonishment "The mighty Adonis seeks the help of a weakling like me?"

"PLEASE! THERE'S A BUTTON ON THE BACK! PLEASE HELP ME!"

Cyborg sighed, but smiled hugely as he moved to deactivate the spasming suit. "Okay, okay, Donny, don't get your toga in a twist. There, all done"

With a descending note, Adonis went still. Eventually, a small hatch popped open. A tall, gangly youth with bad skin and greasy hair crawled out. He was clad only in a worn set of y-fronts, and his skin was incredibly pale from lack of sunlight. He lay on the floor for a moment, getting his breath back, then tried to crawl away. However, when he looked up, he saw five very hostile Titans glaring down at him.

"Uh...hi?" Adonis said, a sickly smile on his face.

* * *

Within a few minutes, the police had the building surrounded, and the night was lit up by flashing lights. The police began a thorough search of the facility in order to find out why exactly the two villains had joined forces to rob it and what exactly they had taken. Off to one side, Robin stood talking to Commissioner Whyte about the crime, while Starfire listened. Neither man looked happy, and the commissioner kept nodding his head. Raven, meanwhile, sidled up to Cyborg.

"Okay, spill. What made you feel you had more claim on Adonis' butt than me?"

Cyborg sighed, and his shoulders slumped. "Raven, you remember what happened the first time we fought that jerk? How he injured you, and we all thought it was Beastboy? Well, about three days after Adonis went down..."

_Beastboy shoved past Cyborg as they passed in the hallway, and the metal man decided that enough was enough. It had been three days since the little guy had spoken to him, and Cyborg didn't even know what he'd done wrong. It was time to settle this. He reached out and grabbed Beastboy's arm, holding the green boy back._

_"Yo, saladhead, what's up?" he said, trying to get back into the friendly banter they'd always shared. It didn't feel right, somehow. On some level, things between them had changed- maybe forever._

_To his surprise, he felt the changelings muscles tense up, before the arm he held changed into a thin tentacle and escaped his grasp. Without a word, Beastboy continued down the hall towards the elevator, Cyborg hot on his heels. The metal man managed to slip into the elevator just as the door closed. When he judged they were between floors, he hit the emergency stop button and turned to his friend._

_"All right, Beastboy, enough is enough. What's wrong?"_

_Beastboy slowly turned to face him, his face contorted in barely suppressed anger. "What's WRONG? You guys tried to put me in prison thats what's wrong!"_

_Cyborg flinched a little at the obvious anger, but he didn't back down. Yes, they had made a mistake in accusing Beastboy, but every fact they possessed pointed to him being the culprit. They had come to the only conclusion possible given the situation. "BB, the evidence..."_

_"FUCK THE EVIDENCE!" Beastboy roared at a volume that surprised Cyborg. "Robin relies on evidence, and Starfire relies on Robin, so I can't really blame them. But YOU! You're supposed to be my BEST FRIEND, Vic! You know me better than ANYONE! How could you believe that I'd do something like that?! That I could hurt one of my family? Is it that you think that little of me? Or is it that we weren't as close as I thought?" Before Cyborg could reply to this, the green boy held up a hand._

_"No, save it Vic. You turned on me when I needed your support the most. We're through."_

_With that, the shapeshifter changed into a fly and exited the elevator through the emergency hatch._

Raven stood in shock at this story. From the start of the team, Cyborg and Beastboy had been the closest of all the Titans. Often, they acted more like brothers than friends, even to the extent of friendly bickering and sibling rivalry. Sometimes, she wondered if Beastboy might not be closer to Cyborg than to her. The idea that they might have had so serious a fight... it just didn't seem possible. "Then what?" She asked.

Cyborg sighed again. "It was three days more before he even spoke to me. I spent a lot of time outside his room, trying to get him to say something to me or do something with me. Finally, he caved and we went for coffee. We had a long talk, and in the end he accepted that I'd made the best choice I could based on what we knew. But deep down, he hadn't really forgiven me for not believing in him. Sometimes, I wonder if he ever will. That's why I was so mad at Adonis- I damn near lost my little brother because of that ass."

Raven nodded. "I see. We'll say no more about it, then. And Cyborg? For the record, I think he has forgiven you. The question is, have you forgiven yourself?"

"I don't really like what you're saying, Robin" Commissioner Whyte said "But you raise a lot of good points, and I can't think of anything to refute them. Whether we like it or not, I agree that it looks like something big is going on."

"I just wish we had more to go on" Robin growled "Whoever it is clearly knows our situation, and could be preparing to strike right now!"

"I am sorry to interrupt, Robin" Starfire said "But are we certain that this is truly to do with us? Did you not also say that someone had robbed laboratories in both Gotham and Metro-polis? Could it not be that this plan is aimed at the Kryptonian or Batman by one of THEIR enemies?"

Robin frowned. He honestly hadn't considered that the Titans weren't the focus of whatever was going on. Eventually, he replied "Maybe, Star, but whoever is planning this chose to strike here in Jump City, and that means it's our business. Meanwhile, I think it's time we went home."

When the Titans reached the Tower, Starfire and Robin both headed straight to bed while Cassie made a beeline for the shower. Despite the fact that it was almost two in the morning, Raven and Cyborg headed to the kitchen for a cup of tea and a late night snack (respectively). They were surprised to see Beastboy sitting alone at the table, nursing a cup of cocoa. When he heard them come in, the changeling looked up.

"How'd it go?" he asked with forced nonchalance. He didn't want to let on how badly he'd been worried.

Before Raven could reply, Cyborg stuck out his chest. "I kicked Adonis' shiny BUTT, that's how it went!"

Beastboy smiled hugely. He'd always had a special dislike for the arrogant teen, and he was glad to hear that he'd finally gotten what was coming to him. In a voice choked with emotion, he managed to ask "Cy, d-did you ever know that you're my hero?"

Picking up on the cue, Cyborg squatted down, took his friends gloved hands in his and replied "I'm everything you would like to be?"

Beastboy nodded, tears filling his eyes. "And I can fly higher than an EEE-AGLE!"

Throwing an arm around one another's shoulders the two howled "'Cause you/I am the wind beneath my/your wings!" in perfect disharmony.

Raven smirked at the sight, before shooing her boyfriend out of the room. "Get some sleep, Gar. Tomorrow, we go on a field trip inside your head"

A/N  
Sorry for the long wait between chapters. Its nice to know that, despite everything else that may have changed since the long ago days when I was a mere schoolboy, that some things remained constant. Specifically, I refer to the fact that homework (even at age 27) still bites that special kind of ass.

I got sick of the whole Beastboy-Angry-At-Robin schtick, so I decided to take it in a new direction.

Next time! Visiting Beastboy's emotions and Robin introduces the final stage of the treatment.


	31. Chapter 31

The next day, shortly after lunch, Beastboy headed over to Raven's room to get ready for their big trip into his psyche. As he walked he reflected on just how much Starfire's cooking ability had progressed. A few months ago they'd had to violently subdue one of her desserts- a soufflé that had risen a little too fast and too much. But today she had produced a rich, savory vegetable stew with chunks of well-seasoned tofu, as well as a larger meat dish for the other Titans. He made a note to introduce her to the wider world of international cuisine as soon as possible.

Reaching Raven's room, he knocked on the door and double-checked that he had remembered to bring his surprise. He'd spent all morning shopping for it and was proud that he'd wrapped it as neatly as he had. He was sure she'd be pleased with it. After a moment, Raven opened the door and motioned him in.

"I thought we should do this in my room" she droned "It'll be safer and more private. What's that box in your hand?'

Beastboy lifted the small, dark purple wrapped box "This? Oh, just a present for you- a thank you for all your help and for being the greatest girlfriend in the world"

To his disappointment, Raven didn't smile or blush. Instead, she simply took the box from his hands and carefully unwrapped the paper.

Mentally, she braced herself for the worst. Beastboy didn't have a good track record when it came to gifts- the plush chicken from the carnival leapt to mind. What had he gone and bought her this time? A videogame? A tacky statuette? Cheap perfume? Lingerie? She gasped when she opened the box, and found a silver necklace. It was made of a number of tiny birds (ravens, she guessed) linked together at the tips of their spread wings. It clinked gently as she lifted it from the box.

"Gar…" she breathed, her emotions causing a nearby book to tear itself to pieces. After taking a moment to compose herself, she continued. "It's beautiful. Thank you very much"

Now Beastboy found himself blushing. "Yeah, well, I didn't get it alone. Today was Robin's day to Patrol, so I went with him and Starfire. They helped me pick it out- Robin picked the jeweler, and Starfire helped me choose something you'd like." He laughed a little at the memory "She kept shooting Robin these looks. I think the princess wants some jewelry of her own."

Raven leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. "Thank you for taking the trouble"

Beastboy raised an eyebrow playfully. "That's all I get? A kiss on the forehead?"

At that comment, Ravens eyes darted away from his, and she squirmed uncomfortably. "Garfield…my powers…"

He put a finger to her lips. "Hey, I'm sorry. If that's all you feel comfortable giving me right now, then it's all I need. Now, let's get ready to do this thing."

Raven nodded and brought out the Azarathian mirror they had spent weeks attuning to him. It looked very different from her own, now. Its surface was a constantly shifting swirl of color, reflecting the highly emotional nature of its subject. Right now, it seemed to be fluctuating between yellow and gray, reflecting hope and worry. Raven placed a hand on his shoulder, and the mirror turned bright yellow. Beastboy closed the blinds and went to lock the door, while Raven lit scented candles that formed a pentagram in the center of the room. Normally, she favored mystic incense, but that made the changeling sneeze uncontrollably. Thus, they were making do with 'Vanilla Infusions', 'Orange Blossom Mystery' and 'Country Apple' to create a barrier against unclean influences. It just wasn't the same, in her opinion.

When Beastboy finished, he walked over to where Raven sat amidst the glow of the candles. "We ready, Rae?"

"Yes, take hold of my hand. AZERATH METRION ZINTHOS!"

In a flash of dark light, the two heroes vanished from the physical world. When they rematerialized, they found themselves in the middle of a jungle. This astounded Raven, who mostly learned about the tropics from books and movies. Her own mind was a barren wasteland, with islands of rock floating in a void, while Beastboy's was a verdant jungle. What did THAT say about them? Beastboy, meanwhile, carefully examined the area, even changing into a dog to sniff the air. After a moment he turned to her.

"This is Africa, or at least it's supposed to be. Somewhere south of the Sahara but north of the Congo. If I had to guess, I'd say Ghana" He said, and smiled when Raven's jaw dropped.

"How in the world did you know that?" she said, more than a little skeptically.

Beastboy smirked. "Well, first of all this is a jungle- not a rainforest, but a jungle. That means either Asia or Africa. Second, there are a lot of really rare plants around here that only grow in some parts of Africa. Third, I can here the mating call of the Koloora bird- and they never go further south than the Congo river, 'cause they eat only certain kinds of berries. Fourth, the climate is too wet for us to be anywhere near the Sahara desert."

"Again, how in the world did you know that?"

Someone behind them cleared their throat. Raven turned only to see HERSELF walk out of a copse of tall trees. The doppelganger cleared its throat once more and said "Despite Garfield's woeful lack of formal education, he has traveled extensively and absorbed a wide variety of information. Furthermore, he has access to sensory systems which you yourself lack, and is experienced enough to be able to draw inferences from the data those systems provide."

Now Beastboy stood with his mouth open, before turning to Raven with a pleading look on his face.

"She said" Raven translated with a sigh "That even though you've never been to school, you've traveled a lot and seen even more. Also, your senses are better than mine, and you can make guesses based on what they tell you."

The other-Raven smiled. "Well said. Greetings, Raven, welcome to Garfield's psyche. I am Knowledge."

"And I'm Wisdom" a clone of Cyborg said as he emerged from the trees. We beckoned them over, calling "This way, guys, and we'll take you to see the other emotions"

As they walked, Beastboy's attention was on his surroundings. He hadn't been back to Africa in way too long- not since his parents died. He realized that he missed the friends he'd made on the continent, and wondered what had happened to them. Maybe he could get Robin to give him a vacation soon..

Raven meanwhile was deep in discussion with Wisdom and Knowledge. "So, why do you guys look like our friends? I expected you to be… well, copies of Beastboy. Like my emotions are copies of me"

"Raven" Knowledge said "Your Nevermore is the result of years of training and meditation. It was created as a method of separating yourself from your emotions without erasing them completely. Furthermore, you were taught- albeit unknowingly- to create personifications of your emotions, and therefore you sculpted them in your own image. This realm was created only recently and with far less care- we simply assumed forms which Garfield associates with…"

Knowledge was interrupted by a high-pitched squeal of glee. Raven looked up in time to see an orange blur coming at her at high speed. There was just enough time to take a deep breath before it hit her. The next thing she knew, she was lying on the ground being given a deep, wet kiss… by Starfire. Raven's eyes widened in shock, while Beastboy just stared. Meanwhile, Starfire's hands roamed all over Raven's body.

After what was only a second or two (but felt much longer) Knowledge and Wisdom pulled the alien girl off of raven. "All right, Love, that's enough" Wisdom said in a stern voice "Get off her"

"But- But-But it is RAVEN!" Love protested, struggling to return to Raven's arms. Fortunately, this copy of Starfire did not have the originals formidable strength "Let me go! It is RAVEN! Oh beloved, assist me!"

Rave slowly got off the ground and glared at the changeling. "That did not happen. Understand?"

Beastboy smiled dazedly "If you say so, Rae"

Spinning on her heel, she turned her glare on the emotions. Wisdom was dragging Love away, while Knowledge stared back coolly. Raven wasn't sure what had just happened, but she was going to find out.

"What was that?" She stated, calmly. She did NOT want her powers going berserk inside of Beastboy's mind. "Why is Starfire Love? Does that mean he has feelings for her? Why is she so, so hyperactive"

Knowledge shook her head. "As I was saying before, our forms are dictated by how Garfield perceives people. I represent Knowledge, for you are the most intelligent person he knows. Cyborg represents Wisdom, for a similar reason. And he has never known anyone with as much love in their heart as Starfire. It has nothing to do with his feelings for you. As for your other question, we are all considerably more active than your emotions for the simple reason that your emotions are constantly being restrained. You strive to control them, while Garfield allows his feelings free reign."

"Which means that you can't just act like you're back in Nevermore" Wisdom said as he returned with Love in tow "The rules here are totally different. Speaking of rules, Love, don't you have something to say to Raven?"

"I love you with all my heart, all my soul, all my being. You are everything to me, and your smile is brighter than all the stars in heaven" Love said seriously, her eyes never wavering from the empath for instant. Raven felt her cheeks heat up. It was wonderful to hear that her boyfriend felt this way about her, but it was more than a little disturbing to have Starfire be the one to actually say it."

Wisdom clapped a hand over his eyes. "Something besides that?"

"Oh, yes I am sorry for having made you uncomfortable with my greetings" Love said, a little sheepishly, then hope crept into her voice as she went on: "May I stay with you during your time here? I will not touch you if you wish, but I simply wish to be near you"

"Uh, sure" Raven said uneasily. "That would be okay"

A look of bliss came across Love's face, and a happy sigh escaped her. Raven had a feeling it was going to be a long day.

A/N  
I actually had most of this chapter finished days ago, but I felt that it was better to end the last chapter where I did then to let it drag on.

I figure Raven's Nevermore is less the natural form of her psyche and more the result of training. It follows, then, that Beastboy's mind would be significantly different since he never had that training. So I'm having a little fun with it.

Up next the rest of the emotions, and Robin's plan. But don't look for it anytime soon. Also, check out Surreal TV by the Laughing Fish. It's a joint project between myself and Princessebee. I think it's awesome so far.


	32. Chapter 32

The trek through the thick jungle was a novel experience for Raven, and a trip down memory lane for Beastboy. Raven had grown up amidst the carefully cultivated gardens and pavilions of Azerath, and had spent the majority of her time on Earth in Jump City. While she had been in a jungle briefly during their first mission against the Brain, she hadn't really had time to take in her surroundings. Now, though, she marveled at the size of the trees around her, darting her head at one point to watch a flock of tiny butterflies dance through the air like living rainbows. She could smell the fragrances of a thousand flowers on the wind, and their perfumes mingled with the underlying smell of rotten vegetation to produce something unique and pleasant. It was like nothing she'd ever known before, and she resolved that one day, Garfield would take her to see the real thing in person. She blushed a bit at that- she'd only been dating the boy for a few months and already she was thinking about a honeymoon. She pushed the thought away and continued to marvel at her surroundings, lest her boyfriend see her blush.

She needn't have worried, because Beastboy was thousands of miles away and a decade in the past. Unlike Raven, he knew enough about jungles to know that this one wasn't natural. The plants and animals he saw and smelled didn't normally exist in the same places- he'd seen more than a few acacia trees (which only grew in the savanna), a couple of palm trees (wrong ecosystem) and he wasn't sure but he thought he'd seen a jaguar at one point! Instead, he figured this was sort of a mish-mash of every wild place he'd ever seen in his life- the sum of all his travels and experiences brought together. Once he'd settled that in his mind, he'd allowed his memory to drift- each sight and scent brought back new recollections. There was a bright red orchid- the kind his mom used to put in her hair on special occasions. Here was a ring-tailed lemur- he remembered one time when one had crawled inside Mento's sleeping bag, only to wake up as the leader of the Doom Patrol settled in for the night....

Meanwhile, the emotions set a steady pace through the thick brush. Knowledge idly catalogued the different types of plants and animals they passed, remarking aloud on various interesting traits each one possessed- and although no one was listening, she never wavered for a moment, content to simply recite information. Love, on the other hand, was totally unaware of her surroundings, her attention being focused entirely on Raven. The emotion was even walking backwards so as to keep her adoring gaze on the empath at all times- and more than once resulting in a collision with trees and rocks. She was blissfully unaware of this however, instead basking in the sheer joy of being near Raven. Wisdom, meanwhile, led the way- and had one hand on each of his fellow emotions to ensure they didn't (a) wander off or (b) leap on Raven.

Eventually, they reached a clearing in the jungle, which was ringed with thatch huts. Each hut had a roof of a different color, presumably corresponding to the emotion its occupant represented. In the center of the clearing were two large stone chairs, which faced a half-circle of small stones. Wisdom directed Raven and Beastboy onto the thrones, with Love and Knowledge seated to either side of them, before he began to speak.

"I know why you've come here" he said without preamble "You've come to try to tame Fear. This will not be easy- he's had his own way for too long. In fact, he's gained a lot of power here, and quickly too. But before you can do that you have to meet the other major emotions that exist here- I've arranged for them to come in one at a time so as to make things as easy as possible. If you have any questions, feel free to raise your hand at any time. Garfield?"

Beastboy lowered his hand. "Why does Knowledge talk so much smarter than me?"

Knowledge sighed. "I presume you are asking about my vocabulary? The truth is that much of what you hear and see is retained, albeit subconsciously. You do not have access to it, since you did not consciously learn it. I, however, represent the sum total of ALL your knowledge- and so I have access to everything you have ever seen, read, heard or experienced"

Without a word, Beastboy turned expectantly to Raven, who echoed her double's sigh before translating. "She said that you remember everything you've ever heard or seen, but since you do it automatically you can't actually use it. She can. Now I have a question: What do you mean Fear's gained power?"

Wisdom nodded. "An excellent question, and one that leads to the heart of the problem. Until fairly recently, Garfield didn't really have much fear in him. Oh, he'd been scared but it was never a really strong emotion. See, unlike you Rae, Garfield was never trained to control his emotions. Thus, his psyche was constantly shifting as one emotion overtook another. But since the Joker took him, Fear has been dominating his mindscape. Now, that didn't much matter 'til recently- after all, fear was only a feeling in Gar's head. But since we started attuning to the mirror, we've all become more complex than that. Fear is still Fear, but now he's AWARE of how strong he is, and that's made him even stronger. Garfield hasn't the same control you do; I suspect Fear's been able to manipulate him to gain more and more power."

Raven paused to digest this, while Beastboy just looked astonished. Was THAT why he'd been so scared lately? Some uppity emotion making a power grab. "Bring him on" the green boy said grimly "Time somebody put this punk in his place"

"One thing at a time" Wisdom said "First, let's introduce the others. You'll need their help. Timid? Come on out, honey"

Hesitantly, a figure emerged from the first hut on the right- and both teens were amazed to see that it was Terra. Slowly, as though unwilling to approach but compelled to do so, the petite blonde moved closer. Eventually she came close enough to take Raven's hand.

"I'm sorry we aren't a better boyfriend. I'm sorry we speak without thinking, sometimes. I'm sorry we can't make you really happy. I'm sorry we aren't as handsome as Robin, as brave as Robin, as charming as Robin..."

As Timid recited the myriad ways that Beastboy was inferior to Robin, Raven leaned over to Beastboy. "Okay" she whispered "Two things. First, Terra as Timid?"

"I dunno, Rae" the changeling whispered back, as the small girl kept on talking "But I guess it makes sense. Terra was really not confident in herself, and always seemed uncertain. About her powers, about her place on the team, about...us."

Raven nodded, not willing to get into that right now. "Fine. And second? You are MUCH better than Robin and we will discuss this later"

Unheeded, Timid's recitation continued "...as cool as Robin, as nice-smelling as Robin, as rich as Robin..."

"Um, it's okay Timid" Raven said, while reflecting that this was much harder to do when it wasn't YOUR emotion. "Why don't you go sit down for now?"

Timid nodded and shuffled off to the furthest seat, muttering something that sounded like "Sorry for talking so much" as she went.

Wisdom moved to sit beside her, and placed one hand on the smaller emotions shoulder. "All right, Courage, you're up"

A figure leapt from the next hut, and cartwheeled the distance to the circle of stones. With a flourish, Robin stood up tall and straight, a cocky smile on his face. Yet, now that she had a closer look, Raven didn't think it really looked like Robin. It was too tall, too muscular, to effortlessly poised- in fact, it looked more like an idealization of Robin. She frowned as she pondered the implications of that- either Beastboy had a crush on Robin, or his inferiority complex was deeper than she thought.

"How are you doing?" the spiky-haired emotion said "Here to kick Fear's butt are you? GOOD! I can't stand that guy! I'll be there to give you a hand. Oh, and Rae? I got a message for your Brave side: Any time, any place Green Girl. HA!"

Raven smirked at that. She remembered her own Courage issuing a challenge for Beastboy to come back and spar with her- clearly, she wasn't the only one to remember either. With a nod, she waved Brave to a seat next to Love- who took the opportunity to give her hand a quick kiss.

Cyborg nodded to Courage and called out again "Rage!"

With a stream of curses, Hotspot stomped out of his hut. Raven laughed at that- the pyrokinetic hero really did fit the part of Rage. Without a word to anyone, Rage stomped to a rock on the far side of Courage and sat down, glowering at everyone. Raven was glad that that was all he did- apparently, Gar just wasn't an angry person.

Wisdom sighed and announced the next emotion. "Happy? Care to join us?"

Raven winced at this- her own Happy side acted like a four-year old on a sugar high. So far, with the exception of Rage, all of Beasyboy's emotions had proved to be stronger and more active than her own.

She was, therefore, unsurprised when a squeal of glee erupted from the green-thatched hut. What did surprise her was seeing Harley Quinn- in all her tasseled, red-and-black glory- come leaping from the doorway. She ran into the circle, giggling all the way, before she leapt on Raven and began trying to tickle her. With a psychic shove, Raven sent the curvy emotion sprawling before turning to look at Beastboy. Before she could say anything, Knowledge piped up.

"During his incarceration" the gray skinned emotion droned "Garfield noted that Harleen Quinzell always appeared to be quite deliriously happy, far beyond anything that he had ever seen before. I suspect this influenced her shape in this realm."

Wisdom nodded. "We're all here, now. It's time to summon Fear. "

As though he'd heard their summons, the last of the emotions crept from the hut. This one looked exactly like Beastboy, only different. His skin was a paler shade of green, his hair was wild and unkempt. He moved oddly, jerking his head from side to side as though looking for something. As he approached, Raven noticed another difference between this...thing and her Garfield. Beastboy had always been on the thin side, but Fear was positively skeletal. Yet, despite it all, the emotion had a huge smile on its face. A very, very familiar smile.

When the emotion sat down, Wisdom stood up and moved to the center of the circle. "Let's begin"

* * *

Out in the real world, Robin had called a meeting of the remaining Titans. The four heroes sat in the Common Room- Cassie, Cyborg and Starfire on the couch, and Robin on a chair in front of them. The Boy Wonder held a steaming mug of fresh coffee with just a hint of chicory in it- Alfred always made it that way, and he had missed it terribly. Taking a sip from his mug, he eyed his team before speaking. "Not to sound cliche, but I suppose you're all wondering why I've called you here today?"

Cyborg laughed at that, while Cassie and Starfire- who lacked the grounding in American cinema to get the joke- merely looked blank.

"It's about Beastboy. As you know, I've been using Batman's Trauma Recovery Protocol to help him deal with what was done to him by the Joker. The first stage was our initial meeting- reassuring him that we were here for him and that he wasn't alone. The second stage meant helping him face his fear- the sessions in Omega Cell. I think we can all agree that this was a success?"

The Titans nodded. They'd been amazed at how fast Beastboy seemed to acclimate to his sessions in the cell. He'd stopped screaming, stopped panicking, and even his heartrate was starting to remain normal. Robin smiled at this- he was glad they agreed with him so far. Now came the tricky part, though, and he needed their support.

"There's just one last stage in the treatment" he said, toying with his mug as he spoke. "Beastboy needs to face his tormentor. He needs to confront the Joker to fully heal."

Cyborg shot out of his seat and thrust his face into Robin's. "Are. You. CRAZY? You want Beastboy to fight that monster alone?!"

Robin shook his head furiously. "NO! No no no no no! I don't want him to fight the Joker- just to face him! Look, the Joker is still locked up in Arkham right now- we can send Beastboy in meet him under controlled, safe circumstances. He won't be alone, either- I want you and Starfire to go with him."

"Boyfriend Tim!" Starfire protested "I do not wish to return to that hateful place again, much less to enter it! It is the very definition of Agh'Ora- a pit of misery and gloom! Why must it be us?"

Robin sipped again from his mug, and hated himself for sending the girl he loved into the hellhole that was Arkham Asylum. Nevertheless, he marshaled his resolve and spoke. "It has to be you and Cyborg, Star, because the rest of us can't do it. If Cassie or I set foot in Arkham, the place would erupt in a riot. Raven can't go, because it would play hell with her powers. I mean, the Joker alone was enough to make her loopy- just imagine what a whole building full of psychopaths, schizophrenics, maniacs and sociopaths would do to her. She could wind up needing a padded room herself. We certainly can't send Beastboy alone, and two people are safer than one."

Starfire nodded reluctantly. "We must aid our friend. I will go"

Cyborg also nodded, but his face remained worried. "I'll do it, Rob but... are you SURE about this?"

Robin nodded and tried to seem confident. "Of course I am, Cy. After all, it's Batman's plan."

Cassie spoke, with an air of finality. "Good, it settled. Now, who tells Raven?"

Robin grimaced. "I'll do it. It was my idea in the first place to have Beastboy do all this, I should be the one to tell her."

A/N

School is killing me. Slowly but surely. So if you lot could do me a favor? Leave a LOT of nice, long reviews for me. How'm I doing so far? What do you thing of Beastboy's mindscape? I especially want to hear from those of you who haven't reviewed yet. C'mon, I need something to pick up my spirits.

Next: Talking with Fear.


	33. Chapter 33

Within the circle of emotions, all eyes turned to Wisdom- even Love paused in her admiration of Raven to see what her wise brother would do to get things started. The tall emotion cleared his throat.

"Fear, you've been out of control ever since our rescue from the Joker" Wisdom said "Garfield wants you to stop. It's starting to cause him serious harm."

Raven elbowed her boyfriend, who cleared his throat before speaking. "Yeah, Fear. I can't sleep, I can't relax, I can't even listen to other people laugh without getting scared. I can't go on like this- you have to stop. Anyway, with the Joker locked away in Arkham Asylum, we're safe now- why are you still doing this?"

"S-Safe? Heeheeheehee. W-We aren't safe!" Fear exclaimed, tittering bizarrely as he spoke. "The Joker will b-be back. He always is. He escapes from Arkham whenever he wants, he does whatever he wants. He'll b-be back for us, to f-finish (heeheeheeheeheehee) w-what he started. T-to k-kill us. Hehheheh"

"That's not true" Raven replied, a bit concerned by the way this was going. "The Titans are here and we won't just stand by and let that sicko take you again. I won't let him take you again."

"YAY!" Happy exclaimed (Harley's high-pitched voice causing the others to wince)"Our friends will protect us!"

"No" Love sighed, gazing on the gray empath adoringly "RAVEN will protect us"

"Heeheeheeheeheeheeheehee. Y-you think you can p-p-protect us? The Joker d-does whatever he wants- no one can stop him. Not the police, not the Batman, n-not even the JLA. What in the world makes you think you can do any better? A-and anyway, you don't really care about us- you're j-just using us. Waiting f-for Robin"

"What're you talking about?" Beastboy asked, rather than focus on the difficult questions Fear had asked. "Rae loves me. She said so."

"Yes!" Love shouted "Do not dare to impugn most glorious Raven!"

"She's only with us because R-Robin chose Starfire. T-that's why sh-she won't talk about what happened when they we-went out. If it c-comes down to him o-or us, we all know who she'll choose."

"What? That's…that's…" Beastboy sputtered, but inwardly he winced. Fear was saying what he'd been thinking ever since Raven told him she'd once dated the Boy Wonder. He knew it was stupid- Raven wasn't the sort of girl to settle for second best, so if she was with him it was because she truly wanted to be. Nevertheless, the worry remained.

"You want to know what happened between me and Robin?" Raven said abruptly. She'd been meaning to talk about her past with Robin later, possibly while she and Beastboy were out at a secluded spot. But if Fear wanted to play that card, she was prepared to tell the story now. "Fine. It was just after we became a team. I'd been interested in romance ever since I'd learned about it- just a few days after coming to Earth. Understand, I'd never heard about love or romance in Azerath- either no one wanted to get my hopes up or perhaps they just didn't know about it. Either way, I had no idea what it was all about except that it seemed interesting and that I wanted to try it."

"Try it?" Beastboy said, a little hurt. "Rae, you always told us you couldn't do that sorta thing, 'cause of your powers"

Raven snorted. "I didn't know the emotions were an important part of romance- I thought it was just a male and a female engaging in courtship behavior, like other animals. I mean, how empotional do birds get? Or rabbits? I thought I could keep things strictly rational and unemotional. Anyway, I asked Robin out and he said yes- apparently, he thought I was, quote, "hot in that weird gothic way", and that it might be fun. In retrospect, I think this was before Tim decided to bury himself in the whole Robin role. So, anyway, we go to dinner and…"

"…and Robin made your emotions go crazy" Beastboy said in an unnaturally cheery tone. "Stuff exploding left and right from sheer handsomeness and cool."

"Ha." Raven droned "If only my first date had gone so well…"

_Raven and Robin sat in the dimly lit cafe in silence and gloom. Apropos of nothing, Robin turned to his date and, in a cheery voice, asked "So, what movies do you like? Action? Comedy? Horror?"_

_Raven squirmed and looked away. "They....They don't have movies where I come from..."_

_"Oh" Robin said, resignedly. He tried to think of some other topic for conversation, but eventually gave up and started drumming his fingers on the table. The entire evening had been like this- both of them desperate to find something to talk about, some shared interest other than fighting evil and both of them failing miserably. Right now, both deeply regretted their agreement- made at the start of the evening- not to discuss 'business' during the date. It seemed that, despite their similar demeanors, the two actually had very little in common._

_Eventually, Raven decided to have another try. "Do you like the city?"_

_"Yes!" Robin exclaimed gratefully "I mean...it's a nice little town. Nowhere near as big as Gotham, you know, but hey I gotta start somewhere, right? I mean, okay, the place is a little... small, and kinda quiet but that's all to the good for crimefighters, right?"_

_Raven blushed, a little. Azerath had been her whole world until a little while ago, and it held barely two hundred souls. She'd never seen a city as big as Jump- she'd never even imagined such a thing was possible. Now Robin was telling her how small the city seemed to him, and she couldn't help but feel like a complete hick. Still, she rallied admirably, unwilling to abandon the most promising line of conversation so far. "What's Gotham like?"_

_"Gotham? Well..." Robin launched into a long description of his hometown. He spoke about the difficulties of fighting crime in the biggest city in the country, about the shopping areas, the bright lights.... he only stopped when he noticed that his date had a glazed look in her eyes, and he realized that he was boring her tremendously. "But, enough about me. What's your home like?"_

_Raven was nonplussed- Azerath wasn't really a place that could be described very easily. The other-dimensional retreat of a sect of pacifist ascetics, it really had to be experienced. "Well... it was quiet there. Not many people lived there, and they weren't very noisy anyway. There were gardens everywhere, with dark flowerbeds and spreading trees. It's all gone now, destroyed...." Raven's voice trailed off, and she struggled to regain control of her emotions._

_An awkward silence descended, broken when Robin said "Would you like to go back to..."_

_"Yes" Raven said, and rose from her seat. She headed for the door, without looking to see if the Boy Wonder was following her._

"That" Raven said "Was it. A nightmare of boredom, awkward moments and uncomfortable silences."

"Wow. I'm a better date than Robin, huh? Who knew?" Beastboy said, puffing his chest out slightly. Turning to fear, he said "You see? Rae wants to be with me. She's not holding out for anyone."

"M-Maybe. But th-that doesn't answer the big question. H-how is she going to (heeheeheeheeehee) p-protect us from the Joker? We're doomed. He'll come back and finish us off, sooner or later, and there's nothing anyone c-can do to stop him." Fear said, before lapsing into that bizarre, manic giggling.

Beastboy had had enough. Enough of being frightened, enough of the nightmares, and enough of this weird giggling emotion. He leapt from his seat and grabbed Fear by the shoulders, shaking the emotion fiercely. "Look! WE ARE SAFE! The Joker is locked away in Arkham- and even if he gets out, do you really think he's gonna come clear across the country just for me?! HUH?!"

"Gar, calm down!" Raven said warningly "I think it's time we left."

"Oh, no!" Love exclaimed "Can you not stay? Please?"

"No" Raven replied shortly. "Azerath Metrion ZINTHOS!"

In a flash of light, the young heroes found themselves once again ensconced within Raven's dark room. The scented candles had long since burned themselves out, and the clock revealed that they had been in Beastboy's mind for almost five hours. The teens stood up and began to stretch out their bodies- the lengthy hike through the psychic jungle, combined with sitting on the hard stone chairs, had left them sore and aching. After a while, Beastboy turned to his girlfriend with a wry smile on his face.

"Well, that was real productive, huh Rae?" the changeling said with a soft laugh. "I mean, the closest we came to resolving the problem was when I started to shake the little freak"

Raven took his hand and squeezed. "We did better than I thought we would today, Gar. I honestly didn't think we'd even get to talk to Fear today- it took me several attempts before I could get Timid to reveal herself to me. Today, we not only made contact with Fear but you asserted control over him- just like my Brave aspect recommended, you showed him who's in charge. True, we could have done more but that's no reason to belittle what we did accomplish."

"So, I did good?" Beastboy said, flashing a small grin.

"You did good" the empath confirmed "Now, let's go get some dinner and see what the others have been up to while we were gone."


	34. Chapter 34

As Beastboy and Raven made there way down the hall to the elevators, they heard someone approaching behind them. Turning, they saw Starfire beaming at them happily. Raven felt a little apprehensive about seeing the alien girl right now; her encounter with Beastboy's Love was still too fresh in her mind, and she feared any interaction between them would likely be awkward. On the other hand, Starfire was her closest friend (apart from Beastboy) and in many ways was the sister she'd never had. Thus, her apprehension made her feel tremendously guilty, which only made her even more uncomfortable.

Starfire, naturally, was unaware of her close friend's inner turmoil. With a happy smile, she approached the pair, noting with pleasure that Raven wore the necklace she had helped to pick out. In truth, she had been quite worried for her friends- she knew little of Raven's psychic abilities, but knew from her experiences with other psychics that such things could be perilous. "So, friends" she said "How did you fare within Friend Beastboy's mind? Was there much difficulty in subduing his emotions?"

"Not really, Star" Beastboy replied with a shrug "I mean, yeah it was a little weird but nothin' Rae couldn't handle."

Starfire clapped her hands with joy. "Oh, most well done Friend Raven! I knew your love would prove strong enough to prevail!"

With that, the exuberant princess grabbed her friend in a hug. She felt Raven stiffen, which was not unusual- the empath seldom accepted hugs easily, and usually stiffened at first. What was unusual was when Raven began to struggle to escape her arms. Quickly, Starfire loosed her grip, afraid she had somehow injured or insulted the mysterious girl.

Raven lifted her hood to hide her blush. She had NOT been ready for a hug from Starfire, not yet, and she just KNEW that Beastboy found the whole business funny. A quick glance confirmed it- the green changeling was fighting to restrain his mirth, his cheeks puffed up with suppressed giggles. She sent him a glare, which did little to restore his calm or her own dignity. Turning to the puzzled princess, she decided to switch the topic before awkward questions could be posed. She did not want to get into the story of Love's...greeting...not now, and not ever.

"Starfire" she said, keeping her voice flat and monotonic "Has anything happened while we were...gone?"

"Oh! Yes!" the orange heroine exclaimed "I am forgetting! Boyfriend Tim called a meeting, and a decision was reached. He wishes to inform you both personally as soon as you feel you are ready."

At just that moment, Beastboy's stomach gave a loud roar. He looked up, sheepishly, and chuckled nervously.

"Eh heh heh. Um...Maybe we could get something to eat, first?"

Laughing, Starfire nodded and joined her friends in a journey to the kitchen.

A snack was hastily prepared, with Beastboy and Starfire making sandwiches while Raven poured drinks. The three teenaged heroes ate in silence for a time, before Starfire spoke.

"So, Friends" she asked, wiping her mouth daintily with a napkin "what was it like in Friend Beastboy's mind? Friend Cyborg said that there would be a great deal of space- is this true?"

Beastboy glowered momentarily, but promised himself vengeance on the mechanical man later. "Actually, Star, it was pretty crowded. The whole place was this big jungle, see, but it wasn't like a real jungle 'cause the animals and plants came from all over the world. Then we met my emotions, and they all looked like people I know- Rob was Brave, Rae was Knowledge, Cy was Wisdom... it was really weird, but kinda cool, too."

"What of myself?" Starfire said, seeming a little hurt "Was there no emotion bearing my appearance?"

Raven looked pleadingly at her boyfriend- she didn't want to start that conversation. Seeing this, Beastboy hesitated before he replied. "Well Star, we didn't meet ALL my emotions, y'know. I mean, we were in kinda a hurry, what with my problem and everything."

"Ah, I see" Starfire said, nodding. "If we are done with the snacking, I shall call Boyfriend Tim"

A few minutes later, the Titans assembled in the Common Room, except for Cyborg who had Patrol that day. Robin was in 'Tim' mode, wearing a blue shirt and khakis, while Cassie ported a black Batman tee shirt and jeans. Both wore serious expressions despite their casual attire. Beastboy found himself a little nervous about all this- everyone seemed so solemn and serious that he wondered what was wrong. He flopped down onto the couch, dangling one leg over the armrest, and looked up with a lazy smile on his face.

"So" he said "Who died? And did I owe him money?"

This got a smile from Tim and a giggle from Cassie. Raven, however, was unamused- she knew that something was brewing. She could feel waves of nervousness coming off of the other Titans, and that made her suspicious. "Tim, what's going on?"

Tim sighed and ran a hand through his still-gelled hair. "I guess there's really no sense in putting it off any longer. Look, Raven…um…Okay, you know how we've been using Batman's Trauma Recovery Protocol to try to help Beastboy? Well, it's more than just making him face his fears in the Omega Cell. The last step in the program is facing the source of your fears." Seeing that Raven was about to protest, Tim held up one hand to forestall her. "It'll be under controlled conditions- we'll set it up with Arkham, and he'll be going with Starfire and Cyborg to make sure nothing happens. Uh, what are you doing?"

Raven strode across the room and grasped Tim's head gently. She was now peering into one of his ears with an expression of deep concentration. "Checking for daylight, because you have obviously lost your mind. You want to send Beastboy into that madhouse, home of the worst monsters in this country, in order to face the sicko who tortured him?" Raven paused in her tirade when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Rae, it's okay" Beastboy said, an unusually serious expression on his face. "I think I know why they wanna do this. It's kinda like something the Doom Patrol did for me once"

"Gee, why doesn't that surprise me?" Raven said with a scowl.

The changeling ignored this. "It was just after our first real victory over the Brotherhood of Evil- we'd managed to capture General Immortus and the Brain, though they escaped pretty soon afterwards. I'd been having nightmares for a while about the villains we fought, so Mento decided to take me to see the two caged creeps…"

_"Steve, are you sure this is necessary?" Rita Dayton, alias Elasti-Girl, asked. "I mean, Gar's nightmares are normal for a child his age, the doctor said so."_

_"Yuhuh! Yuhuh!" the young changeling squeaked, as he tried once more to escape his adoptive father's grip. "Listen to the Doc! I'm all better, really!"_

_The leader of the Doom Patrol ignored this. "Rita, if Gar were a normal child his age, he wouldn't be part of our team. As it is, his nightmares are beginning to affect our efficiency- he's not sleeping well and the rest of us are woken up by the screams. Trust me, this is all for the best."_

_The heroine sighed and followed along behind her husband and son as they entered the prison's Isolation Wing. Both Immortus and the Brain were largely powerless on their own, relying instead on the abilities of others to carry out their plans. Thus, no extraordinary security measures were in place other than total isolation from all other prisoners and tight surveillance. Eventually they came to the cells that housed their longtime enemies. On one side of the hallway was a small jar, in which floated the Brain. On the other side was the large cell housing the ancient soldier._

_"Ah, Mento" Immortus wheezed "Come to gloat over our temporary incarceration?"_

_"I think not, Immortus" the Brain said, the harsh tones of the electronic voicebox filling the small space. "Note that he has brought his freakish family along with him. Undoubtedly, our opponent wishes to reassure his green charge that we are no longer to be feared. Foolishness."_

_Ignoring both of them, Mento glanced down at his son. He was dismayed to note that the boy was trembling and had his eyes closed. He knelt down before the boy and placed a hand on his green hair. Despite appearances, Steve Dayton cared deeply for his son and was concerned about the nightmares- it made him question whether he'd been right to bring an innocent boy into their world, powers or no._

_"Beastboy," he said, quietly "look at them. Forget who they are. Forget what they've done. Just look at them as they are. I promise you, it will help"_

_Beastboy slowly, hesitantly opened his eyes. He looked at the pair of villains and understood what Mento had meant. He didn't see an immortal, brilliant warrior whose strategies had consistently stalemated the Doom Patrol- he saw an old man in a too-large prison uniform. He didn't see an evil mastermind who had nearly killed his entire family- he saw a small lump of flesh hanging in a jar of preservative fluid. He smiled, and straightened up._

_"Wow, prison really suits you guys, you know? I mean, General, not a lot of people look good in bright orange, but you manage it!" he quipped, and was pleased to see the ancient convict puff up in fury._

_Behind him, Rita laughed loudly while Steve just sighed._

_"Well" Mento said "I think he's back to normal"_

"Ya see, Rae?" Beastboy asked "When I saw those two in jail, away from all their thugs and weapons and fancy uniforms, it made them…I dunno, more human. More vulnerable. I wasn't scared anymore, and I think this idea just might work"

"Well" Raven said, frowning "If you're sure, Gar, then we'll do it. But we spend everyday from now until you head to Gotham working in your mind to get ready."

"Deal, Rae" the shapeshifter said with a broad grin.

"So, it's settled then. I'll alert Arkham Asylum and Batman that you three will be coming into town in four days. You'll be traveling with Alfred, since it's now 'safe' for him to go home" Tim smiled, still amused by the cover story Batman and Alfred had concocted. Apparently, the GCPD had been informed that due to past activities with MI-5, Alfred was in danger from the Union Corse- the French version of the Mafia. As a precaution, Alfred had relocated to Jump City and was under the protection of the Titans. "Now, why don't we all relax with a movie?"

The days passed quickly enough, and sooner than he thought possible, Beastboy found himself outside the wrought iron gates of the infamous Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane. He gulped nervously as he gazed up at the asylum, which crouched ominously on a hill. The rain made it difficult to see clearly until a 'convenient' flash of lightning illuminated the dreary building. Inside that building were some of the worst monsters on the planet. He felt his resolve faltering, and he looked to his friends for support.

To his right stood Starfire, holding an umbrella over herself and Beastboy. A warm smile graced her face, yet her eyes were full of worry for her friend. To his left, Cyborg stood in the rain- as the downpour didn't much affect his metal frame and besides, raingear always made him think of the…unfortunate incident of Mother Mae-Eye. He, too, smiled at his little buddy.

"Friend Beastboy?" Starfire said, her voice uncertain. "You are ready, yes?"

"Yeah, Star" the changeling replied "Let's do this."

A/n

Sorry about the delay folks. I'll try to have the next chapter up a little quicker.

Next Chapter: A-Meet a-the Joker!


	35. Chapter 35

The dismal exterior of Arkham Asylum loomed ever closer as the three young heroes made their way up the long path that lead from the gate to the main building. They were on foot because of the asylum's security rules- no outside vehicles other than ambulances or police cars were permitted beyond the main gate.

At first, Beastboy had wondered about the strangely bare landscape- it was obvious that this had once been a forest a few years ago, but all that remained now were stumps. Weirder yet, the grass was ill-cared for and full of weeds, yet it was obviously trimmed regularly. After a few moments thought, he realized that all this- the clear cutting, the regular mowing- had been done for security purposes. Anyone escaping from Arkham on foot would stick out like a sore thumb against the short grass and would have no where to hide.

Eventually, they reached a checkpoint half-way up the hill. Armed guards greeted the cold and wet teens with sympathetic smiles and cups of coffee. The shivering heroes gulped the hot beverage quickly, while the guards radioed the main building to send transport. Within minutes, a plain brown sedan arrived at the checkpoint and disgorged the asylum's chief of security. Aaron Cash was a tall black man with a serious expression and what appeared to be a prosthetic hand. He nodded to the Titans as he entered the checkpoint.

"All right" he said, his tone brisk and cool "You're scheduled to visit Patient J-198. Before we head over to the main compound, let's review the rules. No photography, no electronic recording devices, no running. Do not speak to inmates other than Patient J. Do not give anything to the patients, nor accept anything from them no matter how innocent it seems. Do not discuss current events or personal information while within the asylum. Do not stare at the patients, nor appear overly interested in them. Before you enter the asylum proper, you will be asked to leave any and all potential weapons with the receptionist; this includes pens, keys, hairpins, lighters and lengths of string. Do you understand these rules?"

Cyborg, who could tell that Beastboy was about to make some sort of joke, tramped down hard on the changeling's foot and nodded. "We do."

"Good. I was told you had some way to alter your appearance. No offense, but you guys are liable to start a riot."

Cyborg nodded, and activated his holoring while the other Titans did the same. Starfire had a little trouble with hers, as this was the first time she had ever used it, but soon she appeared to change into a tall, blonde girl with a heavy tan.

Examining her hair, she turned an eye to Cyborg. "Friend Cyborg, why am I now a blonde? Could I not have kept my own coloring?"

Cyborg rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, well, I was watching an old surfer movie just before I programmed your ring. I guess I figured that if you were gonna have skin like a beach bunny, ya might as well have hair to match."

"There are rabbits adapted to live on the shoreline?' Starfire asked, interested in this idea. In her mind, she pictured small, fluffy rabbits frolicking in the sun and surf. She smiled. "How wonderful! We must seek them out when next we go to the beach!"

Cash cleared his throat, and led them to the car. Within minutes, they reached the massive steel gates of the asylum. After a cursory check by the gate guards, the car was allowed entry. The inner grounds were surprisingly pleasant. The Titans could see beds of flowers, and numerous shade trees dotting the enclosed area.

"What's with the greenery?" Beastboy asked, pointing out the window. "I mean, I heard this place was tight on cash."

Cash nodded. "Yeah, but we don't pay our gardeners. Well-behaved patients are allowed out to do light landscaping, and can plant flowers if they like. The docs say it really helps the regular patients to get out in the fresh air, and it makes the place a little nicer, so it works out pretty well for everyone. Anyway, we're here."

Sure enough, they had arrived at the main doors of the building. Cash parked the car and headed off, presumably to return to his duties. Stepping inside the building, the teens were once again surprised. The reception area was a brightly lit, well-decorated room with plastic chairs lining the walls and a large reception desk on one side. At the opposite end was a large set of doors, presumably the entrance to the asylum itself. Cyborg went to desk and nodded to the young woman who sat there reading a fashion magazine.

"Hi, we're the Teen Titans" he said with a smile "I believe we have an appointment"

To his surprise, the girl blew a large bubble, let it burst, and sucked the pink gum back into her mouth. Only then did she answer him. "Oh, yeah. Yer supposed ta go see one a the freaks they got down there, huh? Awright, I'll buzz one a the headshrinkers ta take ya down" she said, her voice revealing how little interest she had in the whole affair. She reached out and tapped the intercom button with one long red fingernail. "Hey, doc, gotta couple a super-freaks up here with an appointment." That done, she returned her attention to her gum.

Cyborg was a little shocked by the dismissive attitude- everything he'd seen so far had made him think that Arkham was an efficient well run place. Before he could ponder the question, however, the doors sung open, and a woman in a labcoat entered the room. She was average size, with dark hair that she wore in a tight no-nonsense bun. She looked to be in her early thirties, but her time at Arkham made her look years older. She walked over to Cyborg and gave him a tired smile as she extended her hand.

"Hello" she said, in a voice every bit as weary as her smile. "I'm Doctor Joan Leland. I presume you're the Teen Titans?"

"Yes, that is us" Starfire said, glad to finally encounter a friendly face. Everyone at Arkham seemed as grim as anyone she had ever met on Earth. "I am Starfire, this is Victor and this is Beastboy"

Leland looked over and the short, currently blonde boy. "Ah, I remember now. You're the one who was taken by the Joker during his time in Jump City, weren't you? I'm amazed that you're here, young man. Not many people would be willing to question the man who tortured them, especially not so soon after their release."

"Uh, yeah, welll… Someone's gotta do it, right? And, after Robin, I'm the Titan with the most direct experience with Joker" Beastboy rubbed his head, uncomfortable with the praise. Robin had had to come up with some sort of cover story to explain his need to see the Joker. The most plausible reason he had been able to devise was that not all of the Joker's weapons were accounted for, and the Titans needed to find out where the remainder were hidden. Beastboy just wished he could tell the truth, as he didn't like lying to strangers.

The doctor just smiled, accepting the story, and bade them empty their pockets of all unnecessary items. That done, the doctor led the group into the asylum. The Titans found themselves in a long hallway, its walls pained that shade of off-white common to institutions. Once they were out of earshot of the front desk Cyborg moved close to Doctor Leland.

"Listen" he said quietly "I know this ain't my business, but that receptionist…"

Leland grimaced "I know."

Cyborg was astonished. "You know? But…why? I mean, the guards all seemed professional, and the place seems well kept. Clearly, you aren't having budget problems, so why did you hire someone so incompetent?"

The psychologist let out a long weary sigh. "Look, we don't WANT to hire people like that, but our budget is tightly controlled. The state governor subsidizes Arkham through a special fund. Yes, we get a lot of money, but the state comptrollers demand that we spend more than sixty percent of it on security measures and guards. Add in maintenance and insurance, both of which are obscenely high, and we can barely afford to pay for therapists, let alone staff, meaning that hiring standards can't be high."

Cyborg stared. "But that's crazy! I mean, what's to stop a minimum wage janitor from taking bribes? Or stealing medication? Or the inmates from bribing doctors to be declared sane?"

Leland smiled grimly. "Points that doctor Arkham raises every time the comptroller visits. To no avail- when election time comes, politicians can't point to janitors or therapists as an accomplishment the same way they can a state-of-the-art security grid."

Beastboy spoke up. "Wow. Cynical much?"

The psychologist stared at the blonde boy for a moment then laughed. "Maybe a little. Come on, we've a ways to go yet."

Reaching the elevator, Leland pressed the –3 button. Cyborg raised an eyebrow at this.

"We're going underground?" he asked. "That's not exactly normal for hospitals, is it?"

"Neither are homicidal supervillains" Leland replied. "We keep the most dangerous Rogues a few levels below ground to hinder anyone making an escape. But there's no elevator on that floor- and level –3 is the security hub. Anyone attempting to flee the Rogue wing would theoretically have to climb several flight of stairs, make it past all the guards in order to reach the elevator."

"Wow" Beastboy said, now genuinely impressed "You guys really put a lot of thought into security"

Leland gave him a smile. "Thank you. I just wish it were more effective."

The security hub was a brightly lit area, filled with noise. One whole wall was covered in monitors, their blue-white glow visible from across the room. Two guards sat monitoring these and passing observations back and forth, while a third sat near a large communication unit, presumably coordinating patrols around the asylum. Finally, one guard sat at behind a desk, filling out paperwork. All four looked up when the elevator doors opened, and resumed work once they were sure that the occupants were no threat. The group headed across the room to a stairwell and walked down. The long stairway was poorly lit, and

When they exited the stairwell, the Titans were startled by the change in the décor. Until now, everything they'd seen had been well lit and painted that special institutional shade. This area, however, was simple unpainted stone, and was lit far more brightly. The corridor was lined with large, glass windows which opened on the cells of Gotham's most dangerous criminals. As they walked down this corridor, Beastboy and Cyborg kept their eyes on the floor- they didn't want to do anything which might set off the Rogues. Starfire however, found herself unable to fight her own curiosity; the concept of a separate prison for the mad was a new one to her. Thus, despite her attempts to seem uninterested, she periodically glanced up at the incarcerated monsters, looking at them through the thick glass.

In one cell was a smallish woman, and Starfire was pleased to see that the woman had the same hair color as herself. The woman's skin was green- not a dark green like Friend Beastboy but a very pale green like d'nura berry wine. The inside of this woman's cell was filled with numerous small Terran plants, some of which she had never seen before. The woman caught Starfire staring and glared at her in a most unfriendly manner, causing the alien girl to hurriedly look away.

The next cell she looked at closely was almost completely bare of ornamentation. The only furnishings were, she presumed, those which the asylum had provided- a bed, a blanket, a small table, and a mirror. The cell's occupant sat sprawled on the bed, wearing only his undergarments, staring at the ceiling as though he were deep in thought. The occupant of the cell appeared, at first glance to be completely normal- until Starfire got a little closer. Then she was able to make out the innumerable small scars, which covered the man's thin yet muscular form. They were all arranged in a recurring pattern, four vertical lines crossed by one diagonal mark. Curious, Starfire slowed a bit, wanting to get a better look at this curious human. As though he could sense eyes on him, the man dropped his gaze to meet the young princess'- and his cold, flat, dead eyes were somehow far more frightening than the green woman's glare.

It took a few moments of walking before Starfire could muster the courage to look into another cell. This one was also relatively bare- though it did contain a small rug placed to one side of the bed. The occupant of this cell stood in the center of his room, facing the right wall, so Starfire could only see his profile. But what she saw surprised her. He appeared to be a fairly handsome human male, with dark hair and piercing brown eyes. He wore the standard asylum pants, but instead of a shirt, he wore a sleeveless vest of the style Friend Beastboy referred to as 'wife-beater'. What was most curious was the air of rationality and certainty that this man exuded- he seemed to know exactly who he was and where he was. Indeed, Starfire was about to ask the doctor if this man were supposed to be here when he turned to face the glass. Starfire gave a small shriek as she saw him whole.

The left side of his face was fine and handsome, but was completely overshadowed by the hideous scars which covered his right side. His face was a sea of purplish-red scar tissue, and in that sea sat a single yellow eyeball, which was filled with hatred and malice such as she had not seen before. He lifted his right arm- which was normal until halfway down the forearm, when the scars started again- and held up a small silver coin. He tossed it into the air before catching it, with the air of one who had done this many many times before. Glancing at it, the right side of his mouth twitched upward in a sneer before he raised his middle finger at her. Starfire tore her gaze away, and did not look up again until Doctor Leland announced that they had reached their destination.

The Joker's cell stood at the very end of the long, long hallway which housed Arkaham's most dangerous patients. Unlike the other Rogues, his cell was placed in a small separate chamber, beyond a thick iron door. It was the only thing in the room, yet there were two cameras. One was just beside the door and monitored the area in front of the viewing glass, the other was inside the cell itself. By prior agreement, the group stopped outside the door- Beastboy was to go in alone.

Beastboy turned to his friends for reassurance. Cyborg gave him a thumbs up, while Starfire merely smiled at him from their place at the end of the row of cells. They wanted to give him his privacy, and would not come any closer unless it became obvious that something was wrong. Taking a deep breath, the changeling deactivated his holoring and approached the Clown Prince's cell.

The first thing that struck Beastboy was how different the Joker looked without his normal garb. Gone was the purple suit, the orange vest, the acid green shirt, the spats and the cane. Normally, a villain without his costume appears less threatening, less menacing. But here the reverse was true- in removing the killer clown's costume, they had removed the clown but left the killer. In an unusual flash of insight, Beastboy realized that the Joker's clothes served as camouflage- people's eyes were drawn to the flashy colors and odd styles, distracting them from the vicious monster wearing them.

Currently, the Joker was seated on his bed dealing a hand of solitaire onto the small table his cell was provided with. As Beastboy drew near, the clown glanced up briefly before returning his attention to his game.

"You aren't Batman" he said, and there was an air of flat finality to the statement. It was pretty clear that the Joker wasn't interested in talking to anyone other than Batman right now. Beastboy wished he could let this go right now- but he couldn't go back to the Tower and tell everyone he'd been too scared to see this through.

"No, I'm Beastboy" he said, keeping his voice firm.

The clown's eyes never left his cards, but one eyebrow went up. "Beastboy...Beastboy...Nope. Sorry, junior, but that doesn't ring any bells. Better luck next time, but please enjoy a copy of our home game as a parting gift. HAHAHHAAHHAAAA!"

The green boy cringed at the sound of that nightmarish cackle that had haunted him for so long. "Don't play games, Joker. You tortured me for weeks, you almost killed me a dozen times or more."

The monster slowly shook his head, and this time he did look up. "Do you have any idea how many people fit that description, my lad? I'm afraid you're going to have to be a wee bit more specific."

Beastboy couldn't believe this. He'd envisioned this meeting dozens of times, and had dozens of different visions of how it would proceed. He'd expected mockery, derision, taunting, threats, even innuendo. But he'd assumed that the monster would at least REMEMBER him! "Y-You kidnapped me days before Christmas! You burned me, flayed me, scalded me, poisoned me and starved me! You kept me chained up in the basement of that godforsaken house in South Jump! "

In a burst of motion, the Joker leapt from his bed- knocking over the table and sending cards flying around the room- and came to land directly in front of Beastboy with his pale face pressed up against the glass. In shock, the changeling stumbled backward before forcing himself to be still. The Joker's broad, yellowish grin was hideous so close up, and his eyes were now fixed on the small changeling.

"Wait a moment, my young friend. Jump? As in Jump City? Ah, now I remember!" The Joker backed away from the glass slightly and threw his head back to laugh. "HAHAHHAAHAAA! Oh, you must excuse me dear boy, for not recognizing you sooner. But after so many years, and so many kills, they all just start to run together, you know? Now, what can I do for you?" The Joker squatted down on the side of the fallen table, resting his chin on one palm.

"I-I" Beastboy swallowed before continuing. "I want to talk to you about what happened. About what you did to me"

"Fair enough" the Joker said, his tone amiable. "I suppose I do owe you something for all the fun we had. Ask away, green bean."

"Okay, first off why kidnap me?"

"Why not?" the Joker countered, his grin devilish. "It was more fun than just killing you would have been"

"I mean" Beastboy continued "Why ME? I mean, of all the Titans why take me? You have history with Robin and Batgirl, while you and I never met before, so...Why?"

The Joker rose from his seat and began to pace the cell. "I actually wondered that myself, for a time" he said "Oh, I had a reason to start with, but then with one thing and another I just forgot. I knew that there WAS a reason, I just couldn't recall what it was. Then, just after I arrived back here at dear old Arkham Arms, I saw a commercial for...But why TELL you when I can SHOW you!"

Once more, the clown rushed to the bed. Reaching underneath the thin mattress, he hunted for a moment before finding what he wanted. Turning to the glass, he held out a small green and purple Beastboy action figure. Beastboy was puzzled by this- what did a toy have to do with anything? The Joker tapped a small button on the toy's back.

Click. "Dude, I'm the King of Joker's!"

Beastboy reeled back from the glass, numb with horror. ' No. NO! It- It can't be!' he thought.

The human mind is a curious thing- the more terrible the experience, the more reason we demand for it. This is why people are more saddened by an accidental death – a 'pointless tragedy'- than they are by any other. Deep down, we seek to reassure ourselves that bad things don't just happen for no reason. Similarly, Beastboy had expected to be told his long imprisonment was because of his insulting the Joker before the fight on the bridge, or because he was somehow important to the Titans, or even just because he was green. The idea that everything he'd suffered, everything he'd endured, had been because of a stupid TOY... It was too much, too much.

The Joker grinned, delighted by the boy's reaction. He'd been bored all day, and had had little hope of entertainment, but this was proving to be even better than he'd hoped. "You see why I had to take action, don't you? I mean, I couldn't very well let some little punk- no offense, I'm sure- proclaim himself my king, could I?"

Beastboy stumbled backwards, falling on his butt. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Without his knowing, tears began to spill from his eyes at the sheer pointlessness of it all.

"So" the Joker continued, drinking in the sight of the young hero's anguish "I felt that, if you were going to call yourself king, you ought to prove you were strong enough bear the responsibility! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"

At this point, Beastbou turned away from the cell, opened the door and numbly plodded back to his friends. The shock of what he'd learned left him too drained to run. As he approached, Cyborg moved to greet him.

"Hey, B, how'd it go?" he said, his voice deliberately cheerful as the group headed back up the hallway towards the stairs.

There was a long, long silence as the group headed to the stairs. They were almost to the end of the hallway before Beastboy spoke. "Well," he said "I think..."

Whatever Beastboy was about to say was drowned out by an earsplitting alarm, which blared out of every PA speaker. After a moment, the alarm was replaced by a voice.

_"ATTENTION ALL GUARDS, ATTENTION ALL GUARDS! EMERGENCY! PATIENT J-198 HAS ESCAPED! I REPEAT, PATIENT J-198 HAS ESCAPED!"_

Beastboy froze in terror, but was roused when he felt a shove in his back. Turning back, he saw his friends deactivate their holographic disguises. Cyborg's arm shifted into sonic cannon mode, while Starfire rose into the air, a starbolt forming in each fist.

"Go" the alien warrior said "We shall deal with this, Friend. Go to the elevator and await us above."

Needing no further encouragement, the changeling sprinted up the stairs, eventually reaching the security room. Guards milled about, some withdrawing weapons from lockers, others studying monitors and maps. Without a word to anyone, Beastboy made his way to the elevator and pressed the G button. As the doors slid shut, he did his best to calm himself.

"Okay, Gar" he said, speaking softly to himself as he often did in times of stress. "Just calm down. Everything is gonna be okay, dude. There's like a million guards here looking for the Joker, and even if there weren't you're already on the elevator to safety. You're gonna be A-OK, dude, so just stop..."

With a loud grinding noise, the elevator came to a halt, throwing the changeling to the ground.

The lights went out.

Beastboy started screaming.

A/N

The second prisoner is Mister Zsasz, one of my favorite Rogues (right after the Joker, Harley and TwoFace). He's your standard serial killer with one twist- he scars himself for every kill he makes. If you can't identify the other two, for shame.

This chapter is extra long for two reasons. First, due to a draining work load, I don't know when I'll be able to update again. Second, this is one of my favorite scenes in this story. It is not what you think, however.

Let's see lots of reviews, please.


	36. Chapter 36

The office of Doctor Jeremiah Arkham was surprisingly Spartan, given his position as the head of the state's largest mental institution. The walls were painted the same institution green as the rest of the asylum, and his desk was a simple wooden model. The only signs of privilege were a small brown sofa and a pair of bookshelves which framed a large window, positioned directly behind the desk. Clearly, this was a working office, used by a man unused to visitors. It was, therefore, somewhat unusual, to find it so crowded.

Currently, the room held no fewer then nine people. Doctors Arkham and Leland were standing by the window, talking quietly about what had happened that day. A huge, heavily scarred man in a guards uniform stood beside the door, although whether he was keeping people out or in was uncertain. But the main cluster of people surrounded the small brown sofa. Robin, Starfire, Cassie and Cyborg stood in a small semi-circle around the sofa, while Raven kneeled beside it as she tried to get some sort of response from her boyfriend. For his part, Beastboy sat completely still, his knees drawn up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them, staring mutely at nothing.

"Beastboy, wake up" Raven said, her voice as monotonic as ever. It wouldn't do to lose control- not here.

Robin turned to the doctors and spoke in a no-nonsense tone. "One more time, exactly what happened?"

"Patient J-198 managed to squeeze himself into the ventilation ducts inside his cell" Doctor Arkham replied, his tone equally stern. "This sort of thing isn't unusual- we have at least one escape attempt per week, and we have procedures in place. Naturally, these involve cutting power to all elevators and exits. Unfortunately, your friend happened to be in an elevator when this occurred. Once we recaptured Patient J-198, we resumed all normal functions. Your friend arrived on the main floor just as he is now- completely catatonic."

"Please excuse me, but what is cat tonic?" Starfire asked, her tone worried. "I am not from this planet, and I fear I do not understand"

Doctor Leland went to the desk and opened one of the drawers. After a second of searching, she withdrew a small syringe. "Catatonia is a psychological reaction- the mind shuts itself off, and the body becomes locked into place" she replied, striding over to the sofa "There are many causes, ranging from schizophrenia to drug abuse. But in this case, we think it was a post-traumatic reaction to extreme terror. He was so frightened that his mind turned itself off rather than deal with the situation."

"What is to be done?" The alien said. She felt terrible- she had been tasked with ensuring her friend's safety while in this horrid place. Instead, she had abandoned him and now he was suffering this terrible condition.

"Fortunately," Arkham said "It is fairly simple to treat- a shot of lorazepam should bring him out of it within half an hour. However, due to your friends unique physiology, we decided to wait for your approval before administering medication."

Cyborg nodded. "You did the right thing, doc. Beastboy's body chemistry is unlike anything else in the world- or off it, as far as I know. Let me check my database..." The metal man went silent for a few seconds as he checked the vast medical data he kept stored in his systems for precisely this sort of situations. Given the dangerous work the Titans did, it was vital that he be able to access their medical files at any time- few physicians were capable of dealing with an injured Tamaranian, for example. Eventually, he let out a sigh.

"I just don't know. A few years ago, I could have told you but after our first battle with Adonis, the green bean's body chemistry has become much weirder. But, to the best of my knowledge, lorazepam looks like our best bet."

Nodding, Leland injected the chemical into the green boys neck. The effect was almost instantaneous- the changelings limbs went limp as the unnatural tension bled out of them. He sagged back until he was lying down on the couch. The two doctors glanced at one another- clearly, the green boy's altered chemistry was causing the medicine to work much faster than expected. A moment later, his eyes fluttered open as consciousness returned.

"Uhhnn...." he groaned "Wh-where 'm I? Whass goin' on?"

Speaking in a far more gentle tone than any he'd used until now, doctor Arkham responded. "You're in Arkham Asylum, Beastboy. Would you mind telling me what the last thing you remember is?"

"Wakin' up" the shapeshifter responded with a groggy smile.

"Even half-conscious and bombed out of his mind" Raven said, shaking her head but smiling "he still goes for the bad joke."

"'S why y' love me, Rae"

"I meant before that" Arkham said, just as kind and gentle as could be.

"Oh. Ummm. Lights wen' out. N' the 'levator stopped. Joker w's gonna get me. N' then ev'rything got dark" Beastboy said, completely calm if somewhat vaguely.

"I see. Why don't you and your friends go with mister Stevens here? You must be hungry, or at the very least thirsty. I'd like to have a word with Robin, if I may."

The massive guard smiled, which actually made his frightening face seem somewhat friendly. Speaking in a gentle voice. "Yeah, kid. I'll get some cocoa ready and we'll have a little chat."

Beastboy's head rolled to look at the guard. "You make good cocoa?"

Stevens nodded, and even managed a wink. "I'm not just a pretty face, you know. Come to think of it, I'm not EVEN a pretty face"

The changeling laughed, a weird sleepy laugh. "You're okay, man." After a moment of struggling to rise, he called out "Uh, little help, guys?"

As the other Titans left the room, Doctor Arkham sat down behind his desk. The kindly doctor face vanished as he glared at Robin. "Exactly what happened to your friend, Robin?"

Robin scowled. "That isn't really any of your..."

"Young man." The aging doctor snapped, and the steel in his voice made the Boy Wonder flinch. "A young superhero experienced what most laymen would term a psychotic episode in my hospital for no readily apparent reason. I think I'm entitled to know why this occurred."

Robin recounted the story of Beastboy's capture by the Joker, his long period of isolation and torment, and his eventual release. AS he spoke, Doctor Leland smiled at him encouragingly while Doctor Arkham nodded thoughtfully. When he was finished, Arkham spoke again.

"I see. Well, that would certainly have explained his behavior today if it had happened a month or so ago. What was done by way of therapy?"

Emboldened by the positive reception he'd gotten so far, Robin detailed the 'aversion therapy' he'd used, and the psychic treatment employed by Raven. This time, however, when he finished talking, Leland looked horrified while Arkham merely appeared scornful.

"Young man" Arkham said "I ought, by rights, to call the police right now and have you all arrested"

"Typical laymen" Leland said "You heard about this treatment and decided that you were just as qualified to administer it as a trained professional. If I'd known it was that easy, I wouldn't have bothered with med school- I'd have just bought myself a mask and some tights!"

"Hey, now!" Robin replied, defensively. "How were we to know that the protocol, created by Batman, wouldn't work? Besides, psychologists use this method all the time!"

"Yes, Robin, PSYCHOLOGISTS do" Leland said, pacing as she spoke. "Robin, a vital part of aversion therapy is the deep discussion and psychological testing that are done before the patient is exposed to her fear. Through discussion, the patient is brought to understand that his fears are irrational and harmful, and slowly is able to move past them. Simply locking an arachnophobe in a roomful of spiders is not going to cure her- it takes months of work before she can reach that point. What you did to your so called friend is much closer to TORTURE than it is to therapy!"

"If I might guess" Arkham added "Batman created this protocol to deal with phobias caused by Professor Crane's toxins, correct? They are intended to combat artificially created phobias, not deep-seated psychological traumas! In all likelihood, you've managed to deepen the trauma, making his fears even stronger"

Robin swallowed. In truth, what she said made sense- and he marveled that he hadn't seen it before. He'd been so certain that Batman's protocol would work that he hadn't stopped to consider the difference between their situation and the one it was created for. "So, what do we do?"

Arkham sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Your friend needs serious help, Robin. Thanks to your 'help', he's almost certainly past the point where normal counseling can help him. I recommend a lengthy stay in a mental hospital- I understand there's a fine one outside of Jump City."

"Hold on" Robin protested. "We can't just send him to..."

"NO. YOU hold on." Arkham said, rising from his seat. "I am a doctor, Robin, first and foremost. That means that I have certain responsibilities- and one of them is to ensure that badly damaged people get the help they need. If you will not agree, in writing, to have your friend placed in a suitable care facility, I WILL contact the authorities. I have that right- in cases where it is clear that the victims family is obstructing proper care, and if I feel that the victim's condition renders them a danger to themselves or others, the state grants me the right to forcibly commit him."

Robin looked into the doctors eyes and saw that they were serious. "All right. We'll- we'll begin commitment procedures as soon as we can."

* * *

There was surprisingly little resistance to the idea from the rest of the team. The Titans realized that their friend was beyond their help, and perhaps had been from the start. Once the team returned to the Tower- a short trip thanks to Cyborgs newly construnced T-Jet- Robin began making calls. Raven led Beastboy to her room for a talk.

"I'm not sure I like this, Gar" she said as they sat down on her bed. "How long will you be gone?"

"Rae, I'm not exactly crazy about the idea myself. But ya gotta admit, I went completely whacko back there. What happens if the next time is in a dangerous situation? Or worse, what if I go Beast and attack someone? This is for the best, and you know it"

Raven nodded and a single tear trickled down her cheek. As if in sympathy, a pillow flew across the room before she was able to master her emotions once more. "I'll miss you, you know, and I promise to visit every day."

Beastboy gave her a curious look. "Uh, Rae? I don't think mental hospitals allow visitors that often- I think its something like once a week"

Raven gave him a blank stare. "Beastboy. Do you honestly think the staff of Sunnyvale Rest Home is going to be able to stop me from doing exactly as I please?"

"Good point, Rae." The green boy seemed nervous for a moment, then leaned in and kissed her. Raven, caught unsurprised by this, momentarily lost control of her emotions. As a result, her window went black before exploding outwards, raining shards of glass into the sea.

"Heh." Beastboy said, rubbing his head awkwardly "Sorry about that. I just wanted to show you that I'd miss you too."

"Don't be sorry, Garfield" Raven said drawing him into a hug "I'm not"

Meanwhile, Starfire sat in the kitchen sipping a jar of mustard, and staring at the wall. Cassie strolled in, and stopped to look at the morose Tamaranian.

"Not your fault" Cassie said, sitting down at the table. "Know that look. You wondering if, maybe, you had done differently, Beastboy not be...sick."

"Is it not true?" Starfire said, and her voice betrayed how worried she really was. "I should have insisted that friend Beastboy be treated by experts- I should not have allowed Boyfriend Tim to attempt the treatment on his own. Now, our friend was rendered cat tonic because of his problems and I am to blame!"

"Not know how bad things were. Not know how humans work. No one expect you to know these things, Starfire." Cassie replied reasonably.

"Oh, yes" Starfire said, bitterly. "I am the ignorant alien, who cannot even be speaking as humans do. I cannot be expected to know anything!"

"I not speak well either" Cassie pointed out, reaching for the mustard pot "No one call me ignorant. Just that we not learn to speak English until late- not easy." The vigilante took a sip of mustard, and grimaced. "I think Zesti better."

That sent both girls into giggles, and as the tension drained out of Starfire she realized that she felt better. "I thank you, Friend Cassie. I was needing that."

At the same time, Robin made a call to Gotham. Despite his agreement to the treatment, Robin knew that Beastboy would most likely have second thoughts later on. Luckily, he knew just the people to help out.

* * *

Eventually, the day came for Beastboy to enter the hospital and begin his treatment. Naturally, this being Beastboy, he needed to be reminded of this, which set of a frenzy of activity. Beastboy attempted to do all the things he'd put off until now- packing his bags, cleaning his room, arranging a vegan diet at the hospital, and so forth. The other Titans either tried to help him or watched the scene in bemusement until the entrance chime went off. Everyone froze- visitors to the Tower were almost unheard of, and rarely meant anything good. Then Robin smiled.

"Good" he said "They're here. I was starting to worry. Cassie, why don't you go let our guests in?"

Mutely, the girl from Gotham headed for the elevator, pausing only to put her mask on and adjust her uniform. A few moments later, the elevator returned carrying three people. Aside from Cassie, who now had her mask off, there was a tall young man with dark hair in a ponytail, and a young woman with fiery red hair who rode in a wheelchair.

"Dick! Babs!" Robin called, whipping off his own mask as he went to greet his 'siblings'. "How was your...ACK! LEMME GO!"

The tall man- Dick, presumably- had Tim in a headlock and was applying a blistering set of noogies. "What's wrong with you? You've been here nearly five years and this is the first time you invite us over?"

"I didn't to- OW!- to breach security!" Tim yelled, struggling to escape the older man's clutches.

"Boys..." Barbara sighed, before intervening. "All right, kids, break it up before I tell Alfred on the both of you."

Dick released his grip, but smiled evilly at his fiancée. "You wouldn't dare, Babs- I've still got those pictures of you in his kitchen."

"Are you sure of that, Dickie? You really should get a better firewall on your system" Barbara replied, smirking.

"Curse you, web-savvy wench!"

"AHEM! Let me introduce my team..." Tim interrupted, knowing from experience that those two could go on for hours if they were allowed.

The pair warmly greeted each of the Titans, trading jokes or stories with each one, with one exception. When they arrived at Starfire, their 'hello's were abrupt and icily cold. The alien girl was somewhat hurt by this obvious rejection, but decided not to pursue it. 'This is not being the time or the place' she told herself.

Finally, Cyborg voiced what they were all wondering. "It's great to meet y'all, but why are you here? Today, I mean? We're kinda busy right now, y'see..."

Barbara held up one hand. "Timmy already told us." Wheeling herself over to Beastboy, she took his hand in hers. Looking up at him, she spoke seriously. "Garfield, Tim told us what that monster put you through. The Joker paralyzed me- the bastard rang my doorbell and shot me in the spine when I opened the door. He kidnapped my father and tortured him for hours. Not just physical torture, either- he made him look at a slideshow of pictures of me, lying naked in a pool of my own blood. The point is, I KNOW what you've been through- and I know what you're feeling right now. It took my father and I months of therapy to overcome what that son of a bitch did to us. It's not a sign of weakness that you need the same help."

Beastboy suddenly felt better than he had since his trip to Arkham. In truth, he HAD felt a little ashamed of what had happened. After all, hadn't his friends been helping him for weeks? Hadn't THEY all been through traumatic experiences, and emerged without any psychological problems? But now, here was someone who'd been through something similar, telling him that it was OKAY to need help. He smiled, and nodded. "Thanks, miss Gordon."

"Don't worry" Dick said, hefting Beastboy's bags "You can thank us properly by kicking in for gas. My tanks nearly empty."

"Well, if you'd bought the car I suggested, you wouldn't be getting such bad mileage" Barbara commented, as she lead Beastboy to the elevator.

"Don't start that again, Babs. You seem to think..." The elevator doors closed, as the argument raged on.

There was a long, long moment of silence, which ended when the Titan's Alarm went off. Tim slipped his mask back on and raced to the Comms unit.

"It never ends" he sighed "Bank robbery at the Finster street branch of Metropolis Banking. TITANS GO!"

A/N

The info on catatonia comes from wikipedia. If you spot an inaccuracy, blame them not me.

For the record, despite the current sh*tstorm my country is experiencing, I'm okay. Thank you to those who wrote me to ask- all of you. How's about taking my mind off the situation with some reviews? ; )


	37. Chapter 37

The five Titans raced through Jump City, towards the small bank which had reported the robbery. All five keenly felt Beastboy's absence- even Cassie, the newest member of the team, could feel that something was not right. When they reached the bank, they found Commissioner Whyte waiting for them near the police barricades. As Robin leapt from the T-Car, the older man moved to greet him.

"It's Johnny Rancid and Doctor Light" he stated. "We have them contained, but Rancid's made some serious upgrades to his bike- including anti-armor rockets and a heavy machinegun."

Raven snorted, clearly unimpressed. "Rancid and Light? Robin, let me handle this while the rest of you go back home."

Robin hesitated. Normally, he would agree that one Titan would be enough to handle both Light and Rancid. Neither were especially formidable, and both were fairly predictable. However, today he felt a little extra caution was warranted.

"I don't know Raven" he said slowly "This just doesn't feel right. For one thing, neither Doctor Light nor Johnny Rancid have ever worked with other villains before, so why are they doing it now? For another, our last few encounters have all proven to be more than they seemed to be. I think I'd feel better if we handled this as a team."

Raven closed her eyes- a sure sign she was losing her patience. "Robin, they're losers. They've always been losers, they will always be losers. Johnny Rancid is an over-blown adolescent with a thing for bikes, and the last time 'Doctor' Light fought me he wound up wetting himself. Without bragging, I can safely say that I'm the most powerful members of this team. The odds that they'll give me even a bit of trouble are low. Besides which, I have a bit of aggression I need to work through, so just let me handle this "

Robin frowned. Those were all good points, and ordinarily he would have agreed without hesitation. But still, something didn't feel right. "I'll agree on one condition: You keep your communicator open the whole time. Most likely you're right and it won't take you long, but if something DOES happen, we'll be ready to join you. Deal?"

"Deal" the empath replied, and made her way into the bank.

Inside the bank, all the lights were out. Raven had expected that- cutting power to lights was standard procedure for the JCPD in case of siege. Mere darkness, however, was no problem for demonic vision and Raven easily made her way through the empty halls. She could hear the sound of drawers being opened and of small items being scattered across the floor. It seemed to be coming from the large vault that lay at the back of the building. She made her way there, making no attempt to mask her approach.

Suddenly, Doctor Light materialized in front of her. She started, briefly, but remembered that the costumed clown used light-based technology and had been known to use a kind of cloaking device to make himself invisible. "Now, we both know how this is going to end" she said, her voice calm "You're going to finish the day in jail, so why not come along quietly?"

To her surprise, Light showed no signs of apprehension at seeing her. Instead, he simply smirked. "I don't believe I will, little girl."

Raven sighed, but inwardly she was glad. Today had been a bad day so far, full of emotional twists and turns, and she was looking forward to making someone else pay for it. "If that's how you want it. Azerath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!"

Using her telekinesis, she took hold of a small filing cabinet and sent it hurtling towards the smirking villain. She was careful not to use too much force- enough to knock him out and maybe bruise a rib or two, no more. She was surprised, then, when it passed right through him and crashed into the wall, the force of the impact sending one of the drawers out onto the floor. Raven recovered quickly.

"A hologram" she droned "Cute. Do you really think a simple hologram can defeat me, Light?"

"There are two problems with that statement, little girl. One, its not just A hologram" a second copy of Doctor Light said, as it appeared out of nowhere. Another quickly followed it, and another, until six copies of the mad scientist formed a semi-circle around Raven. Raven took a step back, but remained confident.

"Second" the holograms said in unison "They are far from simple." At that, the central Doctor raised his hand, which emitted a blast of dazzling energy. The beam struck Raven squarely in the chest and sent her to the ground before she was able to erect a psionic shield.

The empath rose to her feet, and forced a small smile onto her face. "Is that all you've got?" she said.

"Actually, no." This time all six copies fired on her, and Raven was forced to her knees. Her shield was holding but just barely. She couldn't even spare the mental energy to call for help. All she could do was scream.

* * *

Outside, Robin cursed softly. He'd KNOWN there was something wrong about this whole thing! Why hadn't he been firmer? He should have insisted that Raven not go in alone, that the whole team fight together. "Too late now" he said to himself, before raising his voice. "Guys, Raven's in trouble! Titans GO!"

The team proceeded inside quickly but cautiously- no one wanted to step into another trap, but Raven's scream lent their feet speed. Unfortunately, while they were careful to remain observant, the Titans were not as careful about silence as they normally would have been. The pounding of three pairs of feet along the tiled floor echoed throughout the bank.

In the depths of the bank vault, Johnny Rancid paused in his search. He had been contacted a few nights ago and offered a LOT of money for a pretty simple heist. He'd been totally psyched, until he found out he was gonna have to work with that total loser Doctor Light. He'd decided to put up with it because, hey, a guy's gotta eat and a bike needs gas. He'd been kinda surprised when Light behaved really differently than ever before- less flaky, and a lot more scary. The first stages of the job had gone off perfectly- they'd broken into the bank, smashed into the vault using his bikes new weapons system, and started to search for the goods. He'd actually had a pretty good feeling about the job, until he heard the Titans heading his way.

"Dude!" he exclaimed, turning to his temporary partner, who was searching through the other side of the vault "Its the Titans! What're we gonna do?"

Doctor Light slowly stood up and looked at his 'partner', and for perhaps the thousandth time cursed the Justice League. It was because of them that he'd been driven to this, to taking orders from secretive employers and working alongside brain-dead delinquents. He was Doctor Light, the most brilliant genius of his generation! But because of that damned witch Zantanna, he'd spent years as a bumbling incompetent, and was now forced to regain his good name the hard way. Speaking of which....

"Do not concern yourself with the Titans" he said, turning to leave the vault. "I will have my holographic duplicates deal with them while I attend to the little witch. In the meanwhile, continue the search- we will not leave here without those diamonds"

Johnny nodded, and resumed ransacking the vault, turning out drawers and turning their valuable contents out onto the floor.

Raven was in trouble. Her psychic energy stores were nearly exhausted- it had been a long day, and she had not had a chance to meditate properly. Moreover, the exertion of maintaining a psionic shield in the face of the powerful laser barrage had rapidly drained what power she had. Very soon now she would run out of power, and shortly afterwards she would run out of life. Fortunately, she could hear her friends racing towards her, and knew that if she could just hold out a bit longer, she would be all right.

Suddenly, the laser blasts stopped, as another Light- presumably the real one- walked into the room.

"I will attend to the girl" he said, nodding to his duplicates. "Go and ensure that her friends do not disturb us."

Without a word, the holograms vanished, leaving Raven alone with Doctor Light. However, before she could take advantage of this, he raised a hand and blasted her with a massive energy beam. The beam struck her in the face, and while she was just able to erect a shield, doing so drained the last of her power. Worse, the phenomenal glare caused by the concentrated light dazzled her, leaving her blinded.

"Well, now" Light said, and she could hear the smirk in his voice "It appears it's just the two of us"

Back in the hallway, the Titans found their path to Raven blocked. A large, makeshift barricade had been set up in the middle of the wide hallway and although it was composed of desks, chairs, and filing cabinets it appeared quite strong. Just as Starfire flew closer, to see if perhaps she could dismantle it, the head of Doctor Light popped up. He emerged from the barricade, apparently phasing through one of the desks, and smiled at his foes.

"I'm afraid this is as far as you go" he said "Leave now, or I will be forced to expel you"

Robin sneered, despite his increasingly bad feelings about all this. "Yeah? You and what army?"

Light smiled a little wider, as five more 'Doctor Lights' emerged from within the jumble of furniture. "This one" they said in unison, raising their arms to point at the young heroes.

A large bead of sweat formed on Robin's forehead. "When will I learn to stop saying that sort of thing?" he muttered, before backflipping away from the incoming laser fire. He joined Cyborg and Batgirl behind a hastily-flipped desk and began tossing birdarangs at his enemies. However, due to incoming fire neither he nor the other two heroes was able to aim, and their efforts were less than productive. Starfire, as the most maneuverable of the Titans, was easily able to avoid the incoming fire. She couldn't dodge laser blasts, of course, but she knew well how difficult it was to hit an erratically moving target. The Tamaranian warrior went into an incredible set of aerobatic motion- she dipped, she soared, she zigged and zagged, rendering her nearly impossible to hit. All the while, she carefully fired off starbolts and eyeblasts, aiming precisely so as not to damage the building. As a result, she was the first to notice the reason none of the Lights bothered taking cover.

"Robin!" she cried "My attacks have no effect! They simply pass through these villains!"

Cyborg slapped a palm to his forehead. "Holograms! Of COURSE! Quit attackin', guys, we're not gonna do any good- they've got no bodies to hit"

"Not leaving Raven" Batgirl growled, and despite her full-face mask the metal man knew she was glaring at him.

"Whoa, easy! Nobody's leaving anyone, but we have to think" Cyborg said "Let me see..." He popped his head a little above the desk and scanned the room, his robotic eye glowing. When he finished, he ducked back down and sighed. "No holographic projectors that I can see, which means that either they're really well hidden, or Light's found someway to remote-project holograms. Which shouldn't be possible."

Robin grimaced. Here was another adversary who was acting outside the norm- first the Sladebots, then Adonis' team up with Mumbo, and now this. Something was definitely off, but it would have to wait. "So what do we do?"

Cyborg growled. "I don't know."

Back near the vault, Raven was fighting down panic. She was trapped, blind and helpless, against a madman whom she had previously humiliated. Batgirl or Starfire would have been able to beat Light dizzy, she knew, but her training had never included physical combat- no one had ever seen the point. Now, with Doctor Light bearing down on her, she suddenly saw the point.

She could hear the click of his boots on the stone as he approached, then felt his hot breath on her face as he leaned in close.

"Hmm..." he said, stroking one gloved hand down her face. It was all Raven could do not to scream at his touch. "You're prettier than I remember, witch-girl" he said in a considering tone of voice. To her shock and horror, his hand slid down to squeeze her breast. "More filled out too..."

Raven shuddered in revulsion. 'Please don't let him rape me' she prayed, to a god she wasn't sure cared about her, 'anything but that'. She lacked even the psychic energy to vent her raging emotions, let alone defend herself, and Light was far larger and stronger than she was.

Ironically, Johnny Rancid, of all people saved her. "Yo, Doc! I found the diamonds! Let's blow this popsicle stand!"

The crazed scientist released Raven and strode back into the vault. "Excellent" he said as he watch Rancid stuff the diamonds into the saddlebag of his bike. He pressed a button, deactivating the tiny floating holoprojectors that powered his doubles. Out in the hall, the Titans watched as their adversaries vanished into thin air, before immediately moving to break up the barricade and reach their team mate.

"Tell me, your motorcycle... it is driven in the same manner as a normal one?" Light asked as he quietly approached his partner.

Rancid snorted but nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Good. Then I have no further need of you." Light raised his hand and extended one finger. The Titans reached the vault just in time to see a flare of energy strike Johnny Rancid in the forehead, leaving a tiny smoking hole. The biker slowly toppled over onto the floor where he lay unmoving. Light calmly stepped over the body, and mounted the motorcycle. Without a word to the Titans, he gunned the motor and raced past them, before he and the bike vanished. The only sign of their existence was the roar of the engine fading into the distance.

"Invisibility" Robin muttered, making the word a curse.

* * *

Afterward, Robin went to talk to the commissioner while Cyborg consulted with the forensics team. Raven drew the girls aside and quietly told them the WHOLE story. When she was finished Starfires eyes literally blazed with anger, and Cassie had a white-knuckled grip on a batarang.

"I shall destroy him." Starfire said, her voice filled with quiet menace. It was plain that this was not a threat, not a boast, nor even a promise but a simple statement of fact- no different than if she had remarked on what she was making for lunch. "I shall find him and I shall slowly destroy him. That is what I shall do."

"No, Star" Batgirl said, her voice angry but controlled. "That not what we do. We obey law, even when wish not to. What makes us different from them."

"Listen to Batgirl, Star" Raven said, her voice revealing none of the emotional turmoil she felt. "If you two really want to help me..." Here Raven took a deep breath "...then train me"

Starfire's eyes slowly regained their normal state, and she looked at Raven curiously. "Train you? In what do you wish training, Friend Raven?"

"I realized today that I'm far too dependent on my powers- when I ran out of psychic energy, I was completely helpless. Batgirl, you're a world class martial artist, and Star you're a trained warrior- either of you would have been able to at least fend off Light's...advances." Raven sighed, suddenly feeling emotionally drained. "I want to be able to do that. Will you help me?"

"Of course" Batgirl responded, seemingly surprised that Raven even felt the need to ask. "I teach you basic katas. In few months, you be good enough to fight ordinary criminals. In few years, you be able to fight anyone."

"And I shall train your body!" Starfire exclaimed, warming to the idea. She had felt helpless in the face of Beastboy's problems, but here was something she could do! "I know many exercises that will make you stronger and faster than ever! I shall inflate you!"

Raven stared blankly for a moment, then asked hesitantly "Star, do you mean you'll 'pump me up'?"

"Affirmative! Is that not what I was saying?" Starfire asked, innocently. Raven sighed, while Batgirl looked on puzzled.

"Never mind. Thanks, the both of you."

Meanwhile Robin and the commissioner looked over the damage report. It was still early on in the investigation, but it was already clear that Light and Rancid hadn't been looking for loot. Millions of dollars in cash, jewelry and bonds had been left on the floor. In fact the only thing missing was a small container of industrial-grade diamonds.

"Industrial Grade?" Robin repeated numbly. "But, those aren't worth a fraction of the value of the stones they left on the floor! It makes no sense!"

"Unless" Whyte said, his tone weary "Unless, they were only acting on someone elses orders. In which case, the question is: What do they need industrial diamonds for? Your teammate didn't overhear anything?"

"No. She says that after the holo-clones left, Light blasted her and then starting taunting her- all about how this was good payback for what she'd done to him. No more. Then we got there just in time to see... what happened to Johnny Rancid." Robin said, his voice distasteful. He hated the biker, and wouldn't ordinarily waste pity on him. Still... "How is Rancid, anyway?"

Whyte grimaced. "Brain damaged. Apparently, Light's laser fried a good part of his brain. He's got no idea who he is, where he is, or how to count past five. Docs say that there's little to no chance of recovery, too, so that's one more source of info out the window. What the hell happened here, Robin? What happened to Light?"

"I don't know" Robin said bitterly "But I intend to find out"

A/N

Doctor Light gets treated badly, both in fiction and in the cartoon. There is a good, canonical explanation for all this, and it'll come in the next chapter.  
Sorry about the wait, but exams have been killer and one of my profs handed out a 20 page term paper. Updates should be more frequent now.


	38. Chapter 38

The Titans returned home late that evening- it had taken a long time to satisfy the police investigators that they had to told all they knew. The investigators had seemed certain that there was more to the case than the Titans were telling- Robin could understand that, he supposed. For all his time in Jump City, Doctor Light had been a standing joke, but now he seemed to have changed overnight into a real threat. For his part, the Boy Wonder intended to put Oracle's considerable investigative abilities onto this mystery. By the time that they finally reached the Tower, however, he and his team were so tired that he decided that would have to wait for morning. With little ceremony, the young heroes split apart and headed for bed.

Starfire, however, took a moment before her slorvax to compose a training plan for her dear friend Raven. She did not wish to push her friend too far, as she seemed to have done during their aborted rooftop run, but she wished for it to be challenging enough to ensure that Raven would grow stronger. She sat down at the small, Tameranian computer and began to write down ideas for exercises. At the same time, she consulted an Earthly health book she had acquired when she was newly arrived to this planet, and needed to know more of the natives. She was careful to follow the suggestions laid out in the text, and was soon nearly done with her planning when a chime alerted her to an incoming electronic message. Frowning, the princess opened her mail system while wondering who she knew that would write to her rather than simply coming to talk to her. With a smile, she noted that it was from Foe-turned-Friend Kate. The two girls had written to one another frequently, ever since Kate and Fang had fled the city during the reign of the most hateful Joker.

_From: KittyKate101_

_To:KoriandrSF_

_What's up Red? Sorry I didn't write sooner, but its been nuts around the garage this week. I don't know why everyone seems to have ruined their cars, but so long as I get my paycheck, I'm sure not complaining! LOL. Glad to hear that Robbie-Poo's finally come to his senses- even I knew there was something going on between you that night at the prom! I cant believe it took him this long to do something about it!!! Boys can be so dumb, huh? Speaking of which, you'll never guess what Fangy did..._

Starfire read the rest of the letter happily. Although she did not understand all of the slang being used, she was glad that Friends Kate and Fang had found happiness together. When she was finished she began to craft her reply. With that done, she checked her plan one more time before shutting off the system and going to bed.

* * *

Raven's alarm jangled her out of dreamless sleep at six o'clock the next morning. Fighting the temptation to blast the timepiece out of existence, she swung herself out of bed and headed to her closet. Most of the space was filled with copies of her uniform- black leotard and dark blue cloak-but yesterday before bed, Cassie had given her a new work out costume. Grey jogging pants, blue leg warmers and a grey shirt were duly taken out and put on, before the empathy headed out to her first workout session. All through the long walk to the Tower's gym, Raven wondered what her friends would be doing to her before the day was out- and whether she would be up to the challenge.

She found her teacher in the Tower gymnasium, warming up next to the treadmills.

"Good morning, Friend Raven! I trust your slorvax was a pleasant and restful one?" Starfire said, smiling. The alien girl wore her own workout clothes, purple running shorts and a purple tank top- both garments far skimpier than anything Starfire had ever worn previously. Raven paused, a little surprised- Starfire's combat uniform aside, her friend was surprisingly conservative in her dress.

"It was all right, Starfire" she replied, moving towards the treadmills. "Uh...what's up with the short shorts?"

"Ah! I had hoped you would inquire!" Starfire said with a proud smile. "Friend Cassie stated that you might not wish for Boyfriend Tim to know of your troubles with the vile Doctor Light. Yet, given that we are using the Training Room, it is almost certain that he will see us. Therefore, I have chosen garments which will ensure that he is... distracted."

Raven gave a small smile. "You know something, Starfire? You're a lot more clever than you let on. I have to remember to get myself something like that, for Gar"

"I thank you, my friend, I should be most happy to assist in that as well. Now, let us begin with a light jog of no more than, let us say, one half mile. Then, we shall commence the true exercises."

Twenty minutes later, Raven remembered why she so purely hated running. She was out of breath and aching, while her friend wasn't even winded. She was grateful for the stretching exercises which followed, as they allowed her to get her wind back. Once they were done stretching, Starfire lead her to an open area in the center of the room.

"Now, Friend Raven, Friend Cassie has already agreed to train you in combat, so we shall work on improving your stamina and general physical state. Now, observe me and repeat!"

What followed was a long, grueling session of jumping jacks, sit ups, push ups, sprinting, leg lifts and chin ups. Starfire had clearly crafted this workout to give attention to every muscle in the empath's body. From her toes to her neck, every muscle was worked to the point of exhaustion. Long before it was finished, Raven wondered why in the world she was putting herself through this torture. Then, she remembered what had happened in the bank, and the way it had made her feel, and redoubled her efforts.

Meanwhile, in the main repair bay, Cyborg was in the midst of a thorough check of all the systems in all the Titan's vehicles. This served two purposes, both of vital importance. First, with all the strange things going on in Jump City, it was vital that the team's equipment all be in perfect working order. If, for whatever reason, the Titan's were called upon to battle a villain at the bottom of the ocean, then by God he was going to be sure they could do just that. Second, it kept his mind occupied and kept him from dwelling on the damage he might have done to his best friend's psyche. It had always been this way for him- he found he coped best with trouble when he had something physical to do.

The Tower's repair bay had been designed to be able to service a wide variety of vehicles and equipment. As such, it was a vast underground chamber with hydraulic lifts, a vast number of specialized tools, and very high ceilings. Normally, Cyborg had the place to himself, but the whoosh of the door told him that today was going to be different. He turned to see his leader enter the room, once again in civilian garb- a wife-beater and tight jeans. "Hey, Tim, what's happening?" Cyborg said "Any news on Light?"

Tim shook his head, and leaned against the doorpost. "Nothing yet. I asked Oracle to search for any info on him that might explain this change, but so far she hasn't found anything. Believe me, I'll let you know the minute I hear something."

"Good to know" Cyborg said, turning back to his work. "So what brings you down here? Not that I'm not happy to have company but usually I'm the only one down here"

"Oh, just sorting through the events of the last little while. Been a crazy time, you know? So many weird events, and catastrophes. Just for example, there was your little prank of a few days ago. Remember? When you stripped me naked in front of Superman?"

Cyborg turned around, a nervous grin on his face. "Aw c'mon, man, that- that was just a joke"

"Oh, I know" Tim replied, his voice still friendly and calm. "Don't worry, Cy, I can take a joke. I mean, we're all good sports here, aren't we?"

Put at ease by his leader's calm demeanour, Cyborg resumed his check with a chuckle. "I like to think so, yeah. I mean, you gotta be able to laugh at yourself a little, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah." Tim said, fishing a small remote control out of his pocket and pointing it at the ceiling. "I'm glad you feel that way, Cy, because it makes this a lot easier." He pushed a button on the control, and a soft humming began.

"Makes what easier, Ti-WHOAH!" Cyborg yelped as he was mysteriously pulled off his feet and yanked straight up into the air. After a few seconds, he slammed into the metal ceilinf of the room with a loud clang. Once he recovered from the jarring impact, he found himself pinned to the ceiling, totally unable to move.

"I admit, I was a little baffled by your prank, Cy" Tim said, as though nothing had happened. "I mean, how can you retaliate for something like that? Then, I remembered that electromagnet at JetAge Labs, the one the Joker used to immobilize you. I think spending some time just hanging around, thinking about what you've done, will be very good for you."

"Let me DOWN, Robin" Cyborg growled.

"Down?" Tim repeated, as though he couldn't believe his ears. "Well, if you're sure..." He pressed another button, and Cyborg fell to the ground.

"NOOOOO!" WHAM!

"No? Make up your mind, Cy." Before the metal teen could respond to that, Tim held up a hand. "Tell you what, I had them install a blink function on this remote. I'll be back in a while, and you can tell me what you decide" Pushing a third button, the smaller boy left the room, as Cyborg once more shot into the air.

"YAAAH! I'LL!" CLANG!

"WHOA! GET YOU!" WHAM!

"AHH! FOR THIS!" CLANG!

"TIMMMM!" WHAM!

Out in the hallway, the leader of the Teen Titans smiled at the sound of a job well at his watch, he saw that it already nine o'clock- time for a mid-morning snack. Batman's detailed and scientifically formulated meal schedule called for a small snack before training, preferably one high in protein and low in fats, to provide lasting energy. Nothing too large, so as to avoid becoming logy, yet substantive enough Having had a small breakfast at six, Tim eagerly headed for the kitchen, visions of a roast turkey sandwich already dancing in his head.

Back in the Tower's gym, Raven felt as if she were going to collapse. She doubted she had exerted herself so much all year- her gray outfit was almost totally black with sweat stains, and her body was already starting to ache. Finally, though, her best friend turned tormentor clapped her hands, signalling an end to the pain.

"Most well done, Friend Raven!" Starfire exclaimed. "A most wondrous start to your training, yes? We shall now perform some light, cooling exercises before concluding with stretches. Three minutes of jogging, followed by ten jumping jacks and we shall be done!"

Just as Starfire headed over to the treadmills, the door opened and Tim stuck his head in. "Oh, are you using the gym, Star?"

Starfire winked at Raven and smiled. "Yes Boyfriend Tim but we are very nearly finished with our workouuu...." the alien girl trailed off, staring.

Tim stood in the doorway, clad in tight jeans and a white sleeveless vest, munching on a turkey sandwich, and seemingly oblivious of the effect he was having on the alien girl. "You okay, Star? Oh, no!" He exclaimed, glaring furiously at a drop of mustard that had dripped from his sandwich and onto his vest. "Jeez, this was my last clean vest, too. And it's soaked right through the fabric and onto my skin." With that, the Boy Wonder removed his vest revealing that there was, in fact,a small blob of mustard on his right pec.

From her position next to Starfire, Raven could hear the alien girl emit a high-pitched keening sound, and a small bit of drool leaked from her mouth. While she wasn't one hundred percent sure what those things meant in a Tameranian, she was reasonably certain that it would be best for them to leave. Grabbing her friend's hand, Raven hurried to the door.

"Actually, Tim, we're just finished. Come on, Starfire, let's do our stretching up on the roof." As quickly as she could, she dragged the alien girl outside.

Tim stared after the girls slightly bemused. He'd been surprised to see Starfire in such a revealing outfit, but he guessed it was probably normal exercise clothing on Tameran. He was a bit puzzled by her behavior just now, though. 'Maybe she just doesn't like to see anyone spill mustard. That's probably it.'

Pleased to have resolved that minor mystery, Tim headed for the locker where he kept his workout uniform, and readied himself for another days training.

* * *

Far away from Titans Tower, in a darkened room, Jervis Tetch painstakingly fitted together the components for his latest device. It was tricky business- the design would be an amazingly subtle piece of mind-control technology, and subtlety had rarely been the Mad Hatter's forte. Most of his control chips were like siege engines- they achieved their objectives by smashing through the subjects mental barriers and implanting his commands. This latest design, however, would be far more subtle- like a burglars tools, they would allow the directives to enter the subjects psyche without them ever being aware of it. It was unbelievably difficult, and had taken a great deal of time (and would require a great deal more), but it would be worth it.

He heard the door to his workspace open, and the familiar tip-tap of high heels on tile announced the arrival of his...well, that was the problem, really. He didn't know WHAT she was to him- an employer? A friend? A superior? An assistant? Vanessa Hollignridge seemed to fit all these roles, and more. One moment they would be having a very pleasant tea in the (garden? Lab? Forest?) the next she would be ordering him to move faster. It was all so very confusing, and the Mad Hatter did not like confusion.

"How is it coming?" Vanessa said, placing her hand on his shoulder in a familiar matter he wasn't altogether sure he disliked. "Are you nearly finished?"

"If everyone mined their own business the world would go round a great deal faster than it does." Jervis snapped, a little peevishly.

"I'm sorry, Jervis" the tall woman sighed, fiddling with her hair bun. "It's just that I'm under a lot of pressure to deliver your chips, and there're so many other problems..."

Jervis Tetch was by far the most emotionally open of the male Rogues- not that that was saying much. He wasn't friendly, he didn't have much empathy, and he rarely connected with others. But he was warm enough to sense that Vanessa was under a great deal of stress. He patted the stool beside him in an inviting manner, and said "Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop."

Vanessa gave him a tired smile and sat down. "This project is a very big deal to my employers, Jervis. So big, in fact, that they're starting to get restive about how long it's taking. It would be a very bad idea to make them angry, Jervis- I don't know very much about them, but I do know that much. It's just starting to get to me, I suppose." She turned another smile on him, one that made him feel positively frajulous, and asked "What about you? I can tell that something's got you worried yourself. I've told you my troubles, why not share with me?"

Jervis pushed aside the control chip and sighed. "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat, How I Wonder Where You're At."

Vanessa nodded. "Batman. I told you, Jervis, as far as anyone in Gotham knows, you're working for a government research center- I can't even begin to imagine the strings our employers had to pull to make that story work, but it seems to be working. Neither the police nor the FBI have questioned it, and I can only assume that the vigilantes aren't suspicious either. Batman won't come looking for you because he doesn't even know you're free. You're safe"

A mischievous glint came into her eye, and suddenly the world appeared to shift around him. Instead of sitting in a dim laboratory who knew how many stories below ground, he was seated in a rather pleasant garden. A vast table filled with teacups stood before him, and Vanessa (Alice) suddenly seemed to shrink.

"And now" she said "Let's have tea"

A/N

Sorry it took so long to get back to Tetch. When I brought him in, I thought the biggest problem would be the quotes and rhymes. But in fact, it's capturing his worldview. As a schizophrenic/psychotic (depending on who's writing), Tetch lives (at least partly) in his own personal Wonderland. The 'real' world is more like his vacation home, a place he visits occasionally when he needs to. That is VERY difficult to capture properly. This was the best I could do, and I'm not really thrilled with it.

Thought I'd forgotten about the prank war, didn't you? Shame, SHAME!

I know it seems odd that Kitten and Starfire would be friends, but remember Starfire is an incredibly friendly person. Like a good guy version of Harley Quinn.


	39. Chapter 39

Up on the roof of Titans Tower, Raven and Starfire finished their stretching exercises and sat enjoying the fresh sea air and sunshine. At least, Starfire was enjoying those things; Raven was busily trying to find a way to ask Starfire what had happened in the gym. Normally, the orange princess was open to the point of extroversion, but there were subjects which she would always avoid. She would dance around the issue, pretend to not understand the question, or find other ways of avoiding giving an answer- and her relationship with Robin had, for a long time, been one such topic. Though the two were, at least in theory, a couple now, they hadn't actually been on a proper date yet. Therefore, Raven was uncertain whether the incident in the gym was something that her friend would readily talk about- nevertheless, her curiosity was piqued by what had happened. Starfire had been acting like...like she was in heat! Raven was fairly sure that, if they had been alone, the alien would have pounced on the Boy Wonder and taken him on the gym floor, regardless of who might come in or what he might want. Not to mention the wild, uncontrolled emotions the alien girl had been giving off. It was an important issue, but one that had to be dealt with carefully and tactfully. The trouble was that, for all that she made fun of Beastboy for his lack of subtlety, Raven wasn't all that much better at it than he- Azerath had encouraged direct inquiry and no subject had been taboo. Still, she made her best effort.

"Starfire" she said slowly "Um...about what happened in the gym..."

"Oh, do not worry about it Friend Raven" Starfire said, just a little too cheerily. "It was nothing, a mere momentary lapse in control"

Raven shook her head slowly. "Star, I'm an Empath, remember? I could feel your emotions and how much they frightened you. Now, what's going on?"

Starfire let out a long sigh and sat down on the edge of the roof, dangling her legs over the side. "It is nothing, Friend Raven, merely my cycle"

"Your...cycle?" Raven repeated "Are you saying you acted like...like that because it was your time of the month?"

"Not precisely" Starfire said, and began to explain. It seemed that, unlike humans, Tamaranian sexuality was a cyclical thing. Rather than being sexually active at all times, the people of Tamaran spent most of their time in an almost pre-pubescent state. However, as the cycle progressed, the sex drive slowly awoke- leading to gradual changes in both behavior and physiology, as their bodies prepared them for mating and childbearing. Males became more aggressive and competitive, while females became more gentle and nurturing. These behaviors were designed to demonstrate skills as protector and mother, respectively. The cycle peaked around week four, when Tamaranians entered a sort of mating period- sex became their primary interest, and it was the only time when reproduction was possible. Afterwards, the body slowly purged the hormones in a week long return to normalcy and innocence. At the moment, Starfire was at the height of her cycle and feeling the full rush of her hormones.

"Wait a minute" Raven said, as she tried to wrap her mind around the strange concept "You mean that, six weeks out of eight, you don't think about sex at all? Wow, the universe is a much weirder place than I ever thought"

Starfire nodded. "Truly. When first I arrived on Earth, I was disgusted by the constant lust of its peoples. Since then, I have come to see that our differences are neither good, nor bad. They are merely different."

"Um...Have you told Robin yet?" Raven asked a little timidly "I know he loves you and all, but for humans this is a pretty big deal. He deserves to know"

Starfire blushed a little. "I...I cannot tell him, not yet. I do not wish to tell him until I am certain that he loves me. We have not even been on a real date yet! This cycle shall pass soon, and I shall return to normal. I feel it would be best not to say anything at this time."

"Fair enough" Raven said as she stood up, wincing slightly at the pain in her muscles. "I'm going to go meditate, Star. I'll see you later."

"Very well, my friend. I shall go to the bathing chamber and take a long, cold shower. Friend Beastboy has said that these can be a great deal of help in calming ones urges"

Raven paused at the door. She HAD to ask- she just had to know. "Starfire, how did you and Beastboy come to talk about that?"

"Oh, it was after a trip to the beach last year, when you and I tried the style known as bikinis..." Starfire began, then shrugged when Raven turned red and fled. Humans (and half-humans, it seemed) were most strange.

* * *

Cyborg stormed through the Tower, headed for his room. That little gel-headed mini-Mussolini had gone too damn far this time! He'd been bounced up and down in that damned repair bay for over an hour before Cassie had heard his screams and come to help! He was sure that, if he hadn't been more metal than mortal, he'd have been crippled or killed! This was worse than the oil- this was nothing less than an unwarranted attack on his person, and by God he'd see to it that the Boy Wonder lived to regret it! The situation called for cunning, for brutality, for merciless retribution! In short, it called...for Happy Birthday.  
It wouldn't be easy to implement alone, and Beastboy would certainly be angry to have missed it- moral qualms aside, the changeling was as curious as he about how the plan would work in real life. Still, it couldn't be helped, and his best friend would undoubtedly understand the need for swift and terrible revenge

Finally, he reached the bedroom he shared with Beastboy. In the changeling's absence the room had become significantly neater, yet strangely Cyborg had not been happy with this. He'd grown used to having his best buddy in the room with him, and now that he was gone, Cyborg found it a bit lonely. The air was free of Beastboy's wet dog smell, the hammock was nowhere to be seen, and his comic books were stored out of sight. It was as though someone had gone through the room and deliberately removed all signs of Beastboy's existence.

Shaking his head to clear it of such thoughts, the mechanical man strode to his recharge station. Crouching down to reach the secret compartment, he quickly tapped in the eight-digit code needed to open it up. He reached in and pulled out his prank journal, eagerly turned to the page containing the Happy Birthday Plan...only to find that it was gone, torn out of the book.

A cough drew his attention to the doorway, where Robin (now clad in his uniform) stood, holding a sheet of notebook paper. "Looking for something, Cy?"

"Wha- How did - where did- HOW?" Cyborg stammered gesturing wildly from Robin, to the paper he held, to his hidden safe.

Robin slowly shook his head. "A hidden compartment, an eight digit code... tsk, tsk, tsk...I mean, really, Cy, if you want to keep stuff like this secret you should put in some serious security measures. In my first year as Robin I had training exercises that were more challenging than this." Leaning forward, he narrowed his eyes. "I read your little schemes, and you should be deeply ashamed of yourself. How could even think of pulling this stuff on us- on your family? Especially this Happy Birthday thing- the idea of doing this to ANYONE just makes me sick."

"What?!" Cyborg yelled, his mechanical eye glowing a bright red. "You turned me into a bouncing ball for over an hour!"

"Are you honestly telling me you'd have preferred Happy Birthday to what I did?" Apart from the sheer humiliation involved in this sick plan of yours" the Boy Wonder waved the captured plan in the air "did you ever think of the psychological damage this much humiliation might cause? Or the physical damage that might be done to the Tower? I mean, my God, what you've got here" Robin tapped one part of the diagram "would be enough to take out a wall, at the least!"

"Well, yeah..." Cyborg drawled, a little ashamed now- he really hadn't given thought to Happy Birthday's potential consequences. It was such a marvelously devious and intricate prank that he'd just gotten swept up in its beauty! Now that he did give it some thought, though, he realized that it was dangerous. He let out a deep sigh, and nodded to his leader. "You're right, Rob, I wasn't thinking."

"That's right, you weren't" Robin leaned in close to his friend and gave him a small, cold smile. "I've studied these plans, Cy, so I know what to look for. If ANY of this stuff shows up in the Tower... well, best that not happen, huh?"

Cyborg nodded, resignedly. As Robin walked away down the hall, the metal man smiled to himself. 'Guess I'll just have to find some other way to get gel-head back'.

* * *

In her room, Raven rose from her meditative position, feeling much better. She had used her meditatiton not only as a method of calming her emotions, but of healing her sore muscles. By sending healing energies through the damaged tissue, she had accelerated the healing process significantly. It was a fairly simple technique, commonly taught to children in Azerath as a means of demonstrating the mind-body link and to teach the basics of psionic healing, and Raven could perform it by rote. Thus, Raven had been free to focus her attention on her emotions.

The pale heroine frowned as she changed back into her workout clothes. She had been surprised by the level of turmoil Beastboy's absence had caused. Love was, naturally, the most affected- she had lost her primary focal point, after all. But other emotions were upset as well. Brave felt that she should not have allowed Beastboy to face the Joker alone, that she should have been there supporting him. Rage was howling for vengeance against the Joker, Robin, Doctor Arkham, and many others for taking her lover away. Knowledge obsessively studied Raven's memories of the last few weeks, certain that the perfect solution to the situation was within her grasp, while Wisdom gently chided Raven for ignoring the evidence of Beastboy's worsening state.

Only two emotions were unaffected by the green boy's departure. Happy was, of course, just as happy as ever- Beastboy's absence really didn't mean anything to the blissful ball of manic energy. The other, surprisingly, was Timid- since the weepy emotion was ALWAYS depressed and withdrawn, the gloomy situation didn't have any effect on her. She moaned that it was all her fault, but she did that about everything and Raven felt safe in ignoring it.

'I'll have to meditate more often' Raven decided as she headed to the Training Room 'I've got to keep them under control'

When she arrived in the Tower's main gymnasium, she found Cassie already waiting for her. The quiet vigilante wore a dark set of jogging pants and a Bloodhaven Barons teeshirt. She smiled as Raven walked in and nodded in greeting. Raven returned it, and made her way to where her teacher stood, next to one of the punching bags.

"Start with basics" Cassie said, gesturing to the heavy bag. "Punch"

"Sorry?" Raven said. She hadn't even begun her first lesson, and already Cassie wanted her to practice with the bag?

"Punch" Cassie repeated, this time adding "Need see how you do. Punch."

Raven shrugged and drove her fist into the bag, causing it to shudder slightly but otherwise remain unmoved. She was about to retract her arm, when Cassie stopped her.

"First, change stance. Your stance bad, I fix." Slowly, the girl from Gotham shifted Raven's body into a new pose. One foot was placed a step behind the other, and her knees bent just slightly. Cassie bent Raven's arm at the elbow just a bit, and turned her hips so that Raven was turned into the punch. Satisfied, Cassie stepped back.

"Feel changes?" She waited for the empath to nod, before continuing. "Go back to regular standing, then into this stance. Do five times, then hit bag in new stance."

Raven obediently did so, and was surprised to feel how much difference it made. Her whole body was thrown behind the punch, and the blow itself had a noticeably more powerful impact on the bag. Moreover, the blow was less jarring to her- it no longer hurt her whole arm to punch the heavy bag. When she voiced this thought aloud, Cassie simply nodded.

"Body stance more important than strength- difference between fighter and martial artist. Now, kick, and we go on."

For the next hour and a half, Raven ran the gamut of basic physical blows- jabs, uppercuts, straight kicks, jump kicks, elbow jabs, and more. Each time, her teacher would stop her after the first blow, then gently correct her stance. At the end of the session, Raven felt both proud and ashamed. Proud, because she had done a lot in just one day. Ashamed because she now realized how much she had subconsciously denigrated Robin and Batgirl. She had labeled them brawlers, and never considered how much skill and strategy they used to achieve victory. She resolved not to make that mistake again.

For her part, Cassie was somewhat impressed by how quickly Raven learned. She had long considered the gray girl to be the least subtle of all the Titans when it came to combat. The others were used to creating strategies, to altering their attacks to suit the foe. Raven's 'strategy' seemed to be to find the enemy and blast it with her powers until it stopped being a threat. She was pleased to be able to change this.

Finally, at one thirty, Cassie ended the days' lesson. "This easy part, Raven" she warned as the girls stretched. "Now just refining what already know. Soon learning new things, some very hard."

"I'll do my best" Raven said "And now, I'm off to meditate and shower before I go to visit Beastboy."

Cassie nodded, concealing her worry for her former crush, and went off to eat lunch. She and Raven had trained well beyond the normal lunch hour, and so had missed the Titans communal meal. Nevertheless, Cassie was able to fix herself a proper lunch using leftovers. By the time she finished her roast beef, baked potato, bread roll and cup-o-soup, she felt much better. Of course Beastboy would be all right. Of course things would turn out well.

Having nothing much else to do at the moment, she decided to watch some television- Barbara had encouraged her to do so as much as possible, in order to build her language skills. Checking her watch, she realized she was just in time for Sesame Street- she found the program's simple language and humorous format to be a perfect combination. She decided to call Starfire to join her- the two often watched the program together, giggling delightedly at the colorful monsters and learning together. Before she could sit down, much less reach for her communicator, the small T-shaped device chimed.

"All Titans" Robin's voice said "Report to the briefing room. Oracle's found something on Doctor Light"

A/N  
Sorry, nothing more on Tetch for a while.

I always found it strange the way people just assume that aliens have an identical mating procedure to humans. I mean, given evolutionary differences, it strikes me as a bit of a stretch.

The idea Starfire's cycle also explains the odd nature of her relationship to Robin- while they're always clearly into one another, at times she seems a lot more... passionate about it than others.

The description of male/female behavior (protective versus nurturing) is not any sort of diatribe- its just a supposition of how alien species might show off desirable qualities to potential mates.


	40. Chapter 40

One by one, the Titans shuffled into the large Briefing Room, taking their places around the wooden conference table, which sat in the center of the room. By common, unspoken agreement Cassie took Beastboy's place- she was the fifth member of the team, and besides no one wanted to see that seat left empty. Robin, who had naturally been there first in order to set up his presentation, noticed that each of his teammates looked a bit...off.

Starfire kept staring at him with a look on her face that could only be described as hungry. Cassie seemed a bit miffed- as though the meeting was interrupting something, though for the life of him he couldn't think of what that might be. He hoped they were both all right; he knew they'd been training Raven hard that morning and hoped they had paced themselves.

Raven, on the other hand, appeared to be completely recovered from the morning's exertions- she was once again dressed in her usual leotard and cape, and not so much as a bead of perspiration was to be seen on her. She did, however, seem somewhat restive- she shifted in her chair a few times, and once glanced at the clock- from Raven, these simple acts betrayed almost unbearable impatience. He supposed that had something to do with her upcoming visit to see Beastboy.

But it was Cyborg who disturbed him the most. The metal man had strode easily to his seat, whistling a jaunty tune to himself as he sat. Then, the mechanical teen had fixed his leader with a truly evil smile, which reminded the Boy Wonder of a hungry cat. Before he could comment on this, however, Cyborg asked him what he had found.

Robin pushed aside his unease and turned on the slide projector, which obediently cast an image of Doctor Light onto the far wall. The photo was an old one- it came from the Central City Police Department, and had been taken years before the Titans had been founded.

"This is Doctor Arthur Light. Born in 1971 in Cincinnati Ohio, Light was recognized as a certified genius at age eight. Despite early troubles with the law, Light was admitted to MIT in 1989 and graduated a few years later with his Ph.D. in Applied Physics. He went to work for a high-tech weapons company- Nova Defense Incorporated- which is where he made his breakthroughs in light-based weaponry. Shortly thereafter, he entered the criminal world as Doctor Light. He had a few battles with the Justice League..."

"Wait a minute" Raven interrupted, shaking her head as if to deny what she was hearing. "Are you telling me that Doctor Light once challenged the whole Justice League? Seriously challenged the most accomplished team of heroes in the galaxy?"

Robin nodded. "Yes. His combination of high-powered laser weapons and holographic illusions gave the League problems on several occasions. For his part, he seemed to take a sadistic pleasure in harming and embarrassing superheroes, and that became his motive as much as gaining power. In fact it was just that urge that caused his downfall. After a few years of battling various superheroes, Light apparently discovered a way to teleport onto the JLA satellite. He waited until the League's heroes were all called away before doing so, and he presumably would have sabotaged the satellite in some way, except that he discovered someone else still aboard. Sue Dibney, the Elongated Man's wife, had remained aboard the satellite to wait for her husband. Light abandoned whatever plan he might have had before this in favor of...of raping her."

Robin paused in his story in order to gauge his teammates reactions. Cyborg and Cassie sat perfectly still, with only their eyes revealing the depth of their astonishment. Starfire had unconsciously formed a starbolt, undoubtedly the result of a sudden surge of righteous fury. Raven on the other hand, simply sat with her eyes closed, her mouth drawn into a thin line- her expression seemed not angry but frightened. Robin supposed he understood that- rape was a danger that every female crimefighter confronted sooner or later. Every heroine knew that, one day, a villain could have her helpless and decide to do more than just unmask her. With a cough, the Boy Wonder resumed his report.

"Anyway, several members of the League returned to the satellite just in time to apprehend Light, if not soon enough to prevent his crime. These members- Hawkman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Flash and Zatanna- all decided that what Light had done had transcended the boundaries of traditional villainy. Moreover, they felt that his ability to board the JLA satellite made it dangerous to just put him in prison. So, they used Zatanna's magic to alter Light's memories, erasing all his knowledge of the attack and of how he accessed the satellite." Here Robin's face took on an angry cast. "However, midway through the procedure, Batman arrived and caught them. While he agreed that Light's crime was horrible, he felt that it had to be dealt with within the boundaries set by the law. Rather than stopping, the conspirators chose to magically alter Batman's mind, removing his memories of the event. But his interruption caused Zatanna to make an error in her spell, and rather than simply removing Light's memories, she wound up partially lobotomizing him- changing him from an evil genius to an imbecilic joke. This was corrected a year or so ago, though, when the whole story came out following the deaths of Sue Dibney and the family members of certain other heroes."

The Titans just stared for a moment. "Do you mean" Cyborg said, slowly and hesitantly "that all this time, we've been fighting a post-lobotomy Light?"

"Or better yet" Raven droned "Why didn't anyone think to tell us this had happened? I mean, we've been battling Doctor Light for years now, didn't anyone think he might come to take vengeance on us now that he's back to abnormal?"

"And why did not the Batman inform YOU, Boyfriend Tim?" Starfire asked, concern in her voice. "Did he not feel you could be trusted?"

Robin sighed. "It was decided by the League to keep the whole story quiet- they didn't want to arouse public mistrust in the League or in costumed heroes in general. Batman did not agree with this, as you can imagine, but he agreed to abide by the decision. He WOULD have told me, since Light has a history in Jump, but... I mentioned that the story came out when a number of people connected to superheroes were killed. One of those was Jack Drake- my father. He died fighting off the late Captain Boomerang, and was one of the last victims of the killer."

A gasp went around the briefing table- everyone except Cassie was shocked by this revelation. Starfire instantly moved to enfold her boyfriend in a gentle hug, which he accepted gratefully. After a moment he resumed.

"As you can guess, I wasn't too interested in the backstory behind the attacks and Batman didn't want to intrude on my grief. He meant to tell me, but soon after the funeral I returned to Jump City and the point became moot, or so he thought." Robin gave a weary smile "Oracle said that he actually seemed relieved to let me know. So, I guess you guys know why I got so moody early last year"

It was true that, early in the previous year, Robin had gone to Gotham and returned in a foul temper. He took to locking himself away in his room or the evidence chamber, and he only interacted with the Titans when they had to work or train together. This phase lasted about a month, and gradually the Boy Wonder had returned to normal. Until now, though, no one had known what the problem had been.

"But you're okay now?" Cyborg said, and he actually seemed to be feeling guilty about something.

Robin nodded firmly. "Yes. It was more than a year ago, guys, and I've come to terms with it. I don't want anyone treating me any different because of this- even if that means being pranked, Cy."

The metal man smiled, a warm and caring grin, and gave his leader the thumbs up. "Wouldn't dream of letting you of the hook, Robby"

* * *

Sunnyvale Rest Home appeared, at first glance, to be remarkably similar to Arkham Asylum. Both were huge, Gothic style buildings constructed on hills, which overlooked a vast area of fenced in grounds. Both were located on the outskirts of a city. Both were dedicated to housing the mentally ill. However, it was at that point that the similarities ended. Where Arkham was a dark and depressing place, Sunnyvale was cheerful and bright. Arkham was a madhouse full of the worst the world had to offer, while Sunnyvale was a hospital for curing the ill. Arkham's grounds were clear-cut and dreary, mere empty land which stood between the asylum and the outside world. Sunnyvale was surrounded by gently contoured meadows, dotted here and there with small groves of beautiful trees.

Raven noticed all this almost immediately after her arrival within one of the more secluded groves, one which presented an unrivaled view of the hospital and its surroundings. She was surprised to find that the view made her feel a bit better- if Beastboy had to be away, it was good that he was in such a pleasant place. She sat down on a nearby rock to wait for Beastboy's arrival.

Raven had, of necessity, been very careful in selecting their meeting ground. Because of her empathic abilities, she couldn't meet him within the hospital proper- not without suffering under the barrage of the patients various neuroses and psychoses. She also had to consider secrecy when selecting the location, since hospital rules didn't allow for daily visits. So she had spent all of one afternoon studying a map of the grounds before deciding on the clearing within this small cluster of trees. She had then told Garfield where she wanted to meet and together they had decided on the time- all of this had, naturally, occurred before his arrival and so was based on guesswork about what his schedule would be. Now, she would find out if the plan was a good one.

After a few moments, she heard someone approaching and was pleased to see a small, blonde boy with brilliant green eyes enter the clearing. Seeing her, he slipped off his holoring and Beastboy flashed his girlfriend a smile. Before either of them said anything, they shared a long kiss.

"Hey, Rae" Beastboy said as he pulled back "How have you been?"

"Busy" Raven replied, before patting the rock she'd been sitting on. "But before I start, sit down and tell me about this place."

"Well" the changeling said, sitting on the large rock and draping an arm around her "It's not quite what I thought it would be. The first thing they did when I arrived was send me to this shrink- a woman named Shirley Feigelstalk. We talked for a couple of hours about everything the Joker had done to me, and how it made me feel, and about how it's affected me since. Then she asks me to just sum up all that in a few sentences, then she takes me to this room full of women all sitting in a circle.

"When we get into the room, one of the women- I'm guessin' a doc- stands up and says she's real sorry, but this is a group session for rape victims, and would we mind leaving. I'm turning to go, when Shirley stops me and asks me to repeat the summary I gave her before. So, I turn to the room and I say 'I was kidnapped by the Joker, who tortured me for months. He hurt me, he humiliated me, and he damn near broke me. Since then, I've felt scared and dirty all the time, and I want it to stop'

There's like a minute of quiet in the room, then the doc- not my doc, the group session doc- she pulls an extra chair from the side of the room and tells me to sit down."

"So, that's all you do? Group therapy with rape victims?" Raven asked, her doubts in the treatment evident in her voice and manner.

"Well, first off" the green boy responded, drawing the girl a little closer "it isn't all I'm doing. I've also got these one-on-one sessions with Shirley every day. We talk about how I feel when I'm alone, and she's gonna start teaching me tricks to stop being scared. I've also got all these different classes- art therapy, relaxation therapy, even meditation. But, yeah, the rape group really does feel like it's helping- I mean, what the Joker did to me isn't all that different from rape, really. He hurt me, he humiliated me, and all for his own pleasure. So, yeah, I got a good feeling about this place- I feel it'll really help."

Raven nodded, glad that her lover was feeling better. "So you're spending all your time inside at classes? Gee, you must be loving that."

"Ha ha, Rae. I'll have you know, it's only about half my time. The rest of the day, I'm free to do pretty much what I want. I can watch TV, read, exercise in the gym, walk around the grounds... The docs say it's important I have time to assima- to assy- to take it all in, y'know?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Assimilate, Gar, the word was assimilate. Well, at least we know you'll be able to meet me every day. As for me..."

Raven launched into the story of bank robbery, and because she knew that Beastboy had to miss the adventurers life while he was in the hospital, she did her best to make it exciting. When she reached the part about her molestation by Doctor Light, she paused briefly before plunging ahead. Before coming here, she had given some thought to skipping that part of the story, but had decided against it. Beastboy knew she was a big girl, and that their lifestyle held dangers. Plus, if he ever found out she'd hid something like that from him, she might lose his trust.

To his credit, Beastboy managed to keep his cool through the worst of that story, and let out a sigh of relief when she told him of her new training regime. "Good for you, Rae" he said "From what I've heard in group, getting your friends support and regaining your confidence are probably the best things you could do."

"I'm glad you're taking this well" Raven said with a small smile. "I was afraid you'd go berserk and try to kill Doctor Light, or something."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Rae" the changeling replied "Next time I see Light, I'm gonna kick his butt harder than it's ever been kicked before. I may just permanently fracture his buttbone! But I know you well enough to know that you can handle yourself, Rae"

Raven decided to let 'butt-bone' go- her boyfriend was recuperating after all. Besides, she shuddered to think what he would do with the word coccyx. Instead, she turned the talk to other things, and the couple spent a pleasant half hour talking about nothing in particular. At four o'clock sharp, Raven's communicator chimed. With a sigh, the empath stood up and kissed the changeling one more time.

"Time to go, Gar" she said "Have a good night, and I'll see you here tomorrow."

"Bye, Rae" Garfield replied, reactivating his holographic disguise as his lover disappeared in a burst of black energy. The now-normal looking boy took a deep breath before turning to head back to the hospital.

* * *

By eight PM all of the Titans were engaged in their own activities. Raven sat on the couch in the common room, reading a book of Victorian poetry. Cassie and Starfire were in the kitchen, preparing snacks for their friends- or rather, Starfire prepared the snacks while Cassie sampled them. Cyborg was in the garage, working on the T-Car.

Alone among the Titans, Robin was working on official business. The incident with Doctor Light had shown him the dangers of becoming complacent- Light had managed to surprise them all with his abilities, simply because Robin had assumed those abilities wouldn't change. Determined not to make the same mistake, Robin had decided to examine the files of every supercriminal known to operate in or around the West Coast. He not only used the Titan's own files, but had asked Oracle for access to the JLA's main database, access she had happily granted. It looked to be a long, long task, but one he knew to be vitally necessary.

Around nine o'clock, there came a rapping at his door. Robin looked up from the file on Captain Cold and called out for whoever it was to come in. Starfire opened the door and came in, holding a large tray bearing coffee and pastries.

"Boyfriend Tim, I bring you refreshment!" the alien girl chirped "I have here a pot of your very special ground bean drink, several sweetened baked items, and a small selection of fruits!"

The Boy Wonder smiled. "Thanks, Star, you're the best. I really need some coffee."

"I welcome you, Boyfriend Tim. Now, I go to aid friend Cassie in preparing Friend Raven's exercises. We have decided to work together to help our friend grow strong."

"Right" Robin said, pouring himself a cup of rich caffeinated goodness. Taking a sip, he looked back at Starfire. "You know, Star, you never did tell me why Raven is suddenly interested in working out."

"Oh, I...." Starfire suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "I very much wish I could share this with you, Boyfriend Tim, but I have given my word not to do so. Friend Raven wishes to keep her motives a secret for now."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Just tell me this, Star: Is this secret, in any way, a risk to this team or the city? I ask only because in the past when a Titan kept a secret, it turned out to be one or both."

Starfire shook her head. "Negative. I would not keep such a secret secret, I would tell all immediately."

Robin relaxed a bit. "All right, Star, I trust your judgement. If you feel it's no big thing, I'll forget about it."

Starfire beamed happily and floated out the door. Robin took another sip of his coffee before resuming his work.

Meanwhile, Cyborg sat watching these proceedings with an evil smile. "It's all coming together" he muttered to himself "Operation Night-Rider is a go."

A/N

I had some trouble with this chapter, simply because the whole Identity Crisis story is very hard to fit into the DC animated universe. Just in terms of dates and times, there are a lot of conflicts. So, if anyone finds a conflict between where Light was supposed to be in the comics, where he was supposed to be on the cartoon, and where he is in my fic, I will just say this.... a wizard did it.

I'm afraid Beastboy's schedule at the hospital is nowhere near as well-researched as I'd like it to be. Normally, I feel that if an author introduces something from the real world, then they have an obligation to make it as realistic as possible. Unfortunately, like much of psychology, therapy is largely determined by the individual doctor. There don't really seem to be any standard courses of treatment for various psychological problems.

Beastboy is in a rape counseling group simply because torture and rape have a lot in common. A powerful individual inflicts pain and humiliation on someone else in order to gratify their own desires. The victims of both often feel ashamed and powerless. Since Torture Victim Support groups are likely to be thin on the ground, I figured a hospital would make do with what they had.

The coccyx is the tailbone- a series of small bones located at the very base of the spine.

Finally, I wanted to address a comment made by Tazer that the Beast made no appearance with Beastboys emotional landscape. I don't think the Beast represents Emotion so much as Instinct. That is, it is the most basic human and animal instincts brought to the surface and unburdened by rational thought. That's why I didn't include it in my chapter on Beastboy's mindscape.


	41. Chapter 41

As the sun dipped below the skyline of Des Moines, Doctor Christian Tannenberg wearily exited the main building of Mercy Medical Center, having been hard at work since early that morning. As head of the neurology department of the city's largest hospital, he was constantly busy, as the staff relied on him almost completely. That was to be expected; Christian was the finest neurosurgeon in the state- indeed many wondered why he had taken a position in a small city like Des Moines when he could have worked anywhere he chose. The truth was that Christian enjoyed being a big fish in a small pond- he liked the smug feeling of knowing that he was far more competent than any of his coworkers. On the whole, he was content with his position at Mercy Medical, and his quiet solitary life. The hospital paid him well enough, and he'd found a nice apartment with plenty of room and a wonderful location.

So it was with a happy smile that he made his way through the hospital's parking lot to his car and prepared to go home. He reached his car and opened the door, and got ready for the long drive home. First, he adjusted his seat. Then he switched the radio to his favorite station, a smooth jazz station operating out of nearby Drake College. He adjusted his rear view mirror- and saw a masked woman in the back seat in front of him. With a cry, the doctor opened the door and made to run, but before he could even get out of his seat, the woman pressed a soaking rag to his face. He had just enough time to register the strong scent of ether before he lost consciousness..

The woman got out of the back seat and hauled the unconscious man into the passenger seat before taking the drivers seat. To all appearanecs, she was just a young woman taking her boyfriend home while the poor dear had a nap. She nodded to herself and reached for her cellphone .She dialled a numbeR and waited. After three rings, a strange voice answered- from the sound of it, it belonged to a man in his sixties at least, but it was still firm and sure for all that. "Your status?"

"It went just as planned, whoever you are" the woman said, with just a hint of a smile.

"Excellent" the voice said, in a brisk tone. " Bring him to the train station parking garage, level C. Look for a man with a blue hat with a green feather standing by a red Dodge. He'll take possession of your captive and pay you your fee. Good evening to you"

"Gee, don't go so overboard with your praise" she said to the dialtone."You'll turn a girl's head"

* * *

Robin blinked, drowsily, and yawned. 'That's funny, I don't remember falling asleep' he mused, his mind still in the fluffy area between sleep and wakefulness. 'Must've dozed off... Weird. I drank that whole pot of coffee...' Suddenly, the Boy Wonder's mind snapped wide awake. He HAD consumed an entire pot of his special blend- a private recipe designed to provide the maximum amount of caffeine. One cup was enough to keep soome one awake all day! The POT should have been enough for a week! Yet he had fallen asleep. The Titan's leader had a naturally suspicious mind- he had to, given his life and job. Therefore, he immediately came to the conclusion that some enemy had drugged him, as part of an assault on his teammates.

Filled with concern for his friends, Robin wanted nothing mre than to leap into action against his mysterious adversary, to settle the problem with cunning and muscle. Unfortunately, as soon as he tried to get out of his chair, he found that he was stuck. Although he couldn't see any ropes or chains, he was unable to move from the chair- HIS chair, the specially made one he kept in his room. He wasn't even able to lift his arms from the arm rests, or move his head from the chair. Robin's sense of worry increased, but he forced himself to be calm. To quell his rising panic, the Boy Wonder took in his surroundings, turning his head as much as he could to get a good view. He appeared to be in a small workshop of some sort- he couldn't recognize any of the tools, although admittedly that didn't mean much. There were no windows at all, and he could feel a slight breeze emanating from the air vent above him. That pointed to his being underground, which would make escape that much more difficult. This room was quite dark, with only a single light bulb directly over his head to illuminate it. From what he could see, it wasn't a large room and there didn't appear to be any furniture. The walls were plain, unpainted gray, with no ornamentation or paraphernalia which might give him some clue about who'd taken him or where he was.

"Oh, Robin!" Cyborg's voice chirped from out of the shadows "Glad to see you're waking up. For a moment, I thought the sleeping drugs might have been too much for you."

Robin tried to turn towards his friends voice. "Cyborg they got you too?"

"They?" Cyborg said "Robin, what are you-"

"Look, it doesn't matter!" Robin growled, trying once more to free himself "We've got to get out of here as fast as possible. There's no telling when whoever did this will decide to attack our friends!"

"OH, I see." Cyborg said, and suddenly another light came on, revealing the metal man standing in front of a door. "Well, let me set your mind at ease, Rob. You haven't been captured by any super villains. This is just my way of paying you back for that electromagnet gag you pulled on me today"

Robin stopped struggling and turned to stare at his team mate. Anger warred with disbelief in his mind. "You...you stuck me in this chair, and scared me silly- made me think the Titans were under attack- as part of some tawdry revenge plot?"

"Not exactly" Cyborg replied, moving around behind the chair "I didn't stick you IN the chair, Rob. I stuck you TO the chair- with my new experimental super-glue formula. Also, I didn't try to scare you or make you think we were under attack. That was all you and your paranoid little brain. Now that the glue's dried, c'mon, we've got a long night ahead of us."

Opening the door, Cyborg wheeled the large chair out of the room and into the hallway. Robin vaguely recognized the area as one of the Tower's subbasements, although he couldn't really say much more than that. The vast, dimly lit chambers beneath the Tower were almost exclusively Cyborg's domain; the resident inventor needed a lot of space to work in, and no one else ventured underground by choice. Eventually, they came to a small set of doors, which opened up on the Titans garage. Robin blinked; he'd never noticed a secondary entrance to the garage, but then he had to admit that he'd never looked. The garage had always just been a place he ran through on his way to the T-Car. Now, it seemed, he was going to learn more than he'd ever wanted to about what happened below the Tower.

Cyborg pushed the chair up behind the T-Car, which waited in it's usual position directly in front of the huge doors leading to the underwater exit. Attached to the rear bumper was a strange object- it looked like a square piece of blue foam rubber, but seemed thicker than normal. As he passed, Cyborg adjusted this, until it stood straight and extended from a few inches off the ground to a foot above the T-Car's roof. He also unwound a long length of chain which he connected to the underside of his 'baby', before turning to smile at Robin.

"All right, Rob" he said "Here's the programme for the evening. We're going to be field testing of a couple of my inventions. First, the glue that's binding your butt to that chair. Second, the chair itself- I built it for you a couple of years ago, but it strikes me that we've never tested it under...extreme conditions. Lastly, there's this little jewel here" he patted the plastic pad. "This is a revolutionary new form of padding I designed. It should be able to keep you from splattering all over the back of my baby. If this works out, I figure it could be useful for firefighters when they catch people jumping from buildings or as emergency padding on vehicles"

"I see" Robin growled, using his anger to mask his unease. "And why does all this require me?"

"Well, now, who ever heard of experimenting without a guinea pig?" Cyborg asked as he attached the thick chain to the base of Robin's chair. Seeing the anger growing on his leader's face, Cyborg smiled "Look at it this way, Rob: You're going to go for a quick ride in the cool night air through one of the most beautiful cities in America, even as you help me make something that could save countless lives. Really, you should consider yourself lucky. Now, I don't think you know this but it's eleven at night, and I don't want you waking all of Jump City, soooo...." The metal man then placed a tight gag around Robin's mouth, muffling the Boy Wonder's protests and promises of vengeance. That done, Cyborg entered the T-Car and gunned the engine before roaring off to begin his late night Patrol.

Robin tried once more to scream, but was silenced by the gag, turning his cry of anguish and fear into a loud 'MMMMPH!!' noise. He was racing along behind the T-Car at a phenomenal speed. The high tech car's frequent turns sent the chair he was glued to careening in vast arcs, and sent him spinning wildly. Several times already he had come within inches of being hit by onrushing traffic. At the moment, they were racing through Jump City's now empty Financial District. Once more the T-Car made a sharp turn, and once more his chair was slow to follow. For a moment, it seemed that momentum would crash his chair into one of the parked cars which could still be found here and there along the road, but at the last moment the chain pulled taut and he was pulled away. Robin didn't relax however- that had happened often enough tonight and he knew that sooner or later his luck would run out. Furthermore, his stomach was churning like it hadn't done it years- not since he and Batman had last fought Count Vertigo. He desperately fought the urge to regurgitate- he'd seen enough people who'd choked to death on their own vomit behind gags. Abruptly, the T-Car squealed to a stop. With a yelp Robin braced himself for impact-- sure enough, the chair kept rolling forward until it struck the wall of padding at the back of the T-Car. It didn't hurt, exactly, but the transition from motion to a full stop was still a jarring one.

Robin took deep, slow breaths in an attempt to calm both his heart and his stomach. He swore that, come hell or high water, he'd pay Cyborg back for this- he didn't know how, he didn't know when, but he would. This was more than a prank, more than a joke, it was a full-blown declaration of total war.

Meanwhile, inside the T-Car Cyborg smiled to himself. Though Robin would never believe it, the Boy Wonder was in no real danger. Cyborg had very carefully mapped out their route in advance, calculating precisely how the rolling chair would move on each turn and hill, while deciding on the optimum level of speed. He had the T-Car's sophisticated long range sensors feeding information directly to his mind, updating him on road conditions and oncoming traffic. He had, after all, set out to prank Robin, not to kill him. He even had a small part of his system monitoring the Boy Wonder's metabolism- whenever Robin's heart rate got too high, the metal teenager eased back on the speed, giving his victim a chance to calm down. It also watched his metabolism, to make sure the victim's constant nausea never reached the vomiting stage. Cyborg figured another hour or so and he'd take the T-Car home- true, it wasn't a FULL patrol, but under the circumstances, he doubted Robin would complain too vocally. In the meantime, he turned up the radio's volume and enjoyed his ride.

After what seemed like an eternity to Robin, the T-Car pulled back into the Tower's garage, slowing to a halt in the center of the massive room. Cyborg slowly climbed out, stretched his back (completely unneccessary but a holdover habit from his past) and made his way to the rear. Once there he pressed a button on his right arm, causing the trunk of the T-Car to open. After a moment of searching he emerged holding a spray can. Aiming it at Robin, he sprayed a clear, almond smelling chemical on the trapped hero. Almost immediately, Robin found himself able to move as the adhesive on the chair dissolved. Gingerly and slowly, Robin rose from the chair for the first time in hours, taking care not to make any sudden moves which might jar his already upset stomach. Finally free, he removed his gag and glared at Cyborg with undisguised loathing.

"You..." he began. "You will pay dearly for this..."

"Ah, relax Rob! All in good fun right?" Cyborg replied and gave his leader a good natured slap on the back. This jolt was just too much for Robin's poor stomach and the Boy Wonder began coughing up that days supper. Cyborg stepped out of the way with an exaggerated expression of disgust on his face. "Oh, ROBIN! Tch, tch, tch. What a mess! Well, you know the Tower's rules- you make the mess you clean it up, so I guess you've got a busy night ahead of you. I'm going to bed- I'm sure whatever you were going to say can wait until morning. G'night."

And with that, Cyborg walked away from the still-spewing Robin.

A/N  
Sorry about the delay. Writer's block.

I'd like to take a moment to talk about AU stories. In fanfiction these seem to come in two varieties. One type focuses on what I call Elseworlds scenarios- these stories ask how the canon storyline would be different if things had been slightly (or not so slightly) different. Ideas like "What if Terra hadn't betrayed the Titans" or "What if Raven and Starfire hadn't been able to get back into their own bodies after beating the Puppet King". These stories can be interesting and fun, providing an imaginative take on familiar events.

But then we have the other sort of AU. These stories take familiar characters and remove everything familiar about them before plopping them into an alien situation. All fandoms have their share of these, but Teen Titans seems to have it more than most. What If Beastboy and Robin were in Boy Band or What if Raven were a Plumber. To be honest, I don't really understand the point of these fics and maybe one of you can explain them to me. Once you've removed the characters past, abilities, and background then really all you're using is their names, and at that point why bother? I mean, there are plenty of original fiction sites on the Net. Why not use one of them? I mean, it's possible that you've got a great story on your hands, but quite honestly if I wanted to read about a record producer and his angsty/bubbly singing sensation, or a bunch of high school stereotypes or whatever, I wouldn't be in the Cartoon section now would I?  
Maybe one of you gets it. I sure don't.


	42. Chapter 42

The next morning, after training, Cyborg sat down at the computer terminal in his room to write up the results of the previous nights experiments. Though Robin would never believe it, Cyborg really had been testing that foam padding- it was just that he'd found a very entertaining method of testing it. The results seemed very promising indeed. Robin had crashed into the padding a great many times during the night, and neither the foam nor the indignant teen seemed to have been seriously damaged in any way. More than that, Cyborg had placed pressure sensors on the padding, and he was pleased to see that the padding easily absorbed the force- distributing it evenly across its surface. That was a sign that the padding could handle much greater impacts without danger. He opened up the private file he kept on all his experiments and added in the data from this latest tests.

'Now all I need is a toxicity check, an extreme conditions test, and a few environmental tests and it's off to the patent office' the young inventor thought, leaning back contentedly in his reenforced chair. As much as he enjoyed being a Titan, as much as he liked saving the world, it never really brought him the same satisfaction he got from inventing. The thrill of dreaming up something new, and of bringing it into reality through the skill of his hands and the sweat of his brow... it just never got old. Even after two patents and an honorary degree from MIT, Cyborg still got goosebumps when he was building something to make the world just a little bit better.

His work was interrupted by a soft tapping at the door. Cyborg smiled; in all the Tower only one person knocked like that- Robin and Beastboy banged on the door, while Raven usually knocked once. "Come in, Starfire" he called, saving his file.

The alien girl entered the room, carrying a white pillowcase tied to a broomstick. "Boyfriend Tim has asked me to come bearing a truce, to wave the flag of whiteness." Starfire said with a proud smile. "He asks that you put aside your war of jests to join in a meeting in the conference chamber. You will be there, yes?"

Cyborg stifled a laugh. He doubted that Robin ahd actually meant for Starfire to bring a white flag along, but knew the alien girl meant well. "I'll be there in a moment, Star."

When he reached the conference room, he was surprised to find Robin sitting at the table alone, surrounded by a mass of file folders. Hearing the door, Robin looked up and nodded to his teammate. "Cyborg" he said "I think we both know I'm going to get even with you for last night. But right now we have important business to deal with, and I want to know if you can put our feud aside for a few hours to deal with it."

Cyborg nodded "Rob, I'm hurt you have to ask. I know that Titan business comes before everything, and so long as we're dealing with that you got nothing to worry about. So, what's up? Where are the others?"

"The others aren't coming, Cy, it's just you and me. We've gotten a request from the mayor of Minneapolis. He wants us to help form a team of superheroes to handle the northern part of the country- we've already got the Titans East in Steel City and the Titans South in Atlanta, so a Titans North seems logical. The trouble is, there aren't many heroes in that part of the country, so we have to look for heroes who are capable and willing to relocate. Now, after the whole Brotherhood of Evil thing, we got a lot of applications from young heroes and would-be heroes who wanted to join us. As far as the mayor and the city council are concerned, we've got carte blanche- whoever we recommend will be fine with them. You and I are going to go through these files together and pick out candidates for the new team- we're not just looking for combat potential either. Whoever we pick has to be able to work in a team, to adapt to a new city, and to make a permanent move. That's why I didn't bring in the girls- none of them are really suited to that sort of psychological evaluation."

Cyborg nodded thoughtfully as he took a seat. "Yeah, I know. Starfire's an alien, and doesn't really understand how human minds work. Raven and Cassie were both so isolated growing up that they might as well be aliens. So where do we start?"

"Well, actually" Robin said, passing over a file "I thought this one might be a great start. He's powerful, he's straight as an arrow, and best of all he's worked in a team for a while now."

Cyborg scanned the file, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, but from what I can see here his experience is pretty limited- very little dealings with terrorists or travel abroad. Plus I've heard the guy was kinda , nothing time won't cure, I guess." After a few minutes of browsing, he tapped a file "What about this guy, Blue Beetle down in Texas? Solid record, lots of experience, good attitude and a useful bunch of powers"

Robin took the file from his friends metal hand and looked it over before shaking his head. "No, no. Look at the personal data; the guy has a big family and a girlfriend in El Paso. I doubt he'd be willing to make a permanent move to the other side of the country just like that. You know something, Starfire was telling me that Fang and Kitten are looking to become heroes- they want to make up for the things they did in the past."

Cyborg nodded- in truth, he'd been keeping tabs on the pair for a while. At first he hadn't trusted them to go straight- Fang was a punk and Kitten was a brat, and he hadn't thought they'd change overnight. But it seemed that an encounter with real Evil had opened their eyes and put them on the right path. "I got no problem with that, Rob, but do you really think they can be of any use? I mean, Fang was always pretty small-time and Kitten was never a combatant. "

"Star tells me that Kitten's been volunteering as an Emergency Medical Team dispatcher- she could provide the group with city-wide coordination. As for Fang, trust me when I say that Spider-boy's a lot tougher than he looks. Besides, both of them have underworld connections that could be useful. Let's put them in the 'maybe' pile for now"

The two kept working for hours, until eventually they were interrupted by Starfire. The orange girl entered the room, carrying a tray of home-made hamburgers and fries, which smelled delicious. With a start, the two heroes realized they'd been working for three hours straight and still only had one Yes and two Maybes "You cannot be working while on a stomach which is empty" she said as she lowered the huge plate onto the table "Eat, and enjoy."

Cyborg reached for a burger and took a big bite. He smiled; clearly Starfire's cooking lessons had paid off big- this was a terrific burger. Swallowing he, he reached for a fry. "Y'know, Robby maybe we're going about this wrong. We shouldn't be putting so much emphasis on being a team player."

Robin frowned. "Cy, we can't just send a bunch of lone wolves and prima donnas up to Minneapolis. The team has to be able to work together."

"Yeah, I know. But think about it- when we first arrived in Jump, Beastboy was the only one of us who qualified as a team player. I mean, I was aall broody, Starfire was all 'I need no one', Raven was practically a hermit and you were trying to make a name for yourself. But we managed to come together as a real team because we needed to. let's stop looking at who IS a team-player, and start looking at who could be."

"Hmmm... that's a good point, Cy...How about him?" Robin tapped an open file. "You can't deny he's got the powers and the drive to be one of the greatest heroes ever."

Cyborg cocked his head sceptically. "Yeah, but there're some downsides there. I've seen the guy in action when I lived in Metropolis. I gotta be honest, I don't think he realizes what a responsibility being a superhero is. For him it's all about the thrills and the glory, and sooner or later that's gonna get someone killed- whether it's an enemy, or an ally, or just some innocent bystander. Plus he has real problems with authority- unless you're crazy enough to put him in charge, he'll buck whoever tries to give him orders

Robin nodded. "Exactly. Cy, this team functions because you guys know when to obey me but also because you, personally, aren't afraid to tell me when I'm wrong. The new team will need someone like that, someone who isn't so awed by the responsibility that they can't tell a bad order from a good one. As for the rest, I really think this might help her- he'll be working without his...boss for the first time, and I think it'll throw things into perspective."

"All right, Robby. If you're that sure, she's in" Cyborg said dubiously, before brightening abruptly "Say! You know who'd be good here? Jinx! She and Kid Flash split up but she wants to keep going as a heroine. She's got team experience and she'll give the team some ranged firepower."

"Yeah, good thinking Cy!" Robin exclaimed, writing down Jinx's name on a card and putting it on the Yes pile. "Of course, that means we can't get Kid Flash himself since I'm not going to put an ex-couple together. But since he's pretty tied up in Central City right now, I doubt he would have joined anyway. Do you think we need any more?"

"Actually" Cyborg said tapping another manila folder "I think we need one more. Now, I know this girl's already a member of a team, but from what I can see here she's mainly there because it's all she knows. If we offered her a chance to strike out on her own, I really think she'd take it. She's got team experience, good powers, plenty of experience and a lot of potential. Best of all, she's got terrific mechanical skills and the new team will need someone who knows how to fix stuff and how to approach a problem scientifically."

RObin smiled. "Couldn't agree with you more, Cy. Now, before we finish up here I want to extend our little truce a bit more. Today's the first chance we'll get to visit Beastboy and I don't want either of us missing out on that for any reason. I've missed the little bugger, and I know you've missed him too. Deal?"

"Deal" Cyborg said, getting up from his chair for the first time in nearly four hours. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I 've gotta go fine-tune the holorings."

* * *

That evening, the Titans arrived outside the gates of Sunnyvale Resthome. They drove up in a non-descript minivan that Cyborg had purchased some time ago, for just this kind of situation. For a variety of reasons, Beastboy had entered the hospital under the name of David Smythe, a highschool student who had had the tremendous bad luck to be abducted by the Joker. Enough people had gone missing during the Mad Mime's reign of terror that the story was plausible, and only his doctors knew who he really was. Naturally, an ordinary teenager would not normally be visited by the Teen Titans, and so the team had to visit him incognito. It was for this reason that Cyborg had left the T-Car at home, and it was also why he passed out holorings to his fellow TItans. Raven, of course, was absent since she was unable to even approach the hospital- and besides she'd been visiting her boyfriend every day since he'd left the Tower..

Tim needed a brief introduction to the rings use, since he had never used them before. Normally, just removing his mask was disguise enough. However, a recent article in the Gotham Times had carried a photograph of Bruce Wayne's youngest ward, and so Tim was forced to go undercover to avoid awkward questions. Cassie, on the other hand, had no legal connection whatsoever to Bruce Wayne or anyone else- indeed, David Cain had completely erased all formal proof of his daughters existance from the government's databases. With no birth certificate, hospital file, or school records, there was no way that Cassie could be identified here or anywhere. As such, she was the only Titan not wearing a holographic disguise, instead wearing a green dress and a large hat. Tim inspected his holographic disguise. Anyone looking at him would see a deeply tanned young man with peroxide-blonde hair and a small goatee, wearing a long sleeved check shirt and jeans. He noticed, with a wry smile, that his appearance fitted very nicely with Starfire's beach bunny look- despite their on-going duel, he made a mental note to thank Cyborg for the consideration. Cyborg, of course, had simply redonned his old Stone disguise.

The group made their way up the gently rolling hill towards the main building of the sanitarium. As they walked, they adired the well-kept grounds, which were particularly beautiful now that spring was just starting to arrive. Eventually, they reached the main building and were greeted by a courteous secretary who quickly guided them to the visiting room set aside for them. THe small room was painted a comforting shade of off-white, with comfortable chairs and a wooden table forming the centerpiece of the room. THe window looked out over a small but colorful flowerbed, adding to the relaxing tone of the room. After a moment, a blonde boy with green eyes walked in.

"Okay, let me guess" BEastboy said with a smile "Robin's the beach bum, Starfire's the surfer girl, Cyborg's the ugly one and Cassie came as herself. Am I Right?"

Rather than respond to the 'ugly' crack, Cyborg rushed forward and grabbed his friend into a crushing bearhug. "Good to see ya, Greenie! How ya been? They treatin' ya okay?"

"Grrrnhk" Beastboy managed, as he struggled against his friends iron grip.

"Um, F-Friend Cyborg? I do not believe our friend is comfortable" Starfire volunteered, a bitz puzzled by Cyborg's actions. The older boy was usually somewhat reluctant to give or receive hugs, and she did not understand why this had changed.

"Oh I know he isn't" Cyborg said with an evil grin. "This'll teach you to call me ugly, won't it Green Bean?"

Tim sighed and broke it up. Once Beastboy had regained his feet, the group moved to the table. The Titans spent a long afternoon talking with their absent friend. The team filled him in on what had been happening in Jump City while he was away- while Raven had done her best, the empath was largely isolated from the every day events of the city. For his part, Beastboy told his friends about the treatment he'd been undergoing, and about some of the people he'd met while he was in the hospital.

"So, all in all, Beastboy" Tim said as their hour came to a close "Do you think it's been a help to come here?"

"Yes" the disguised changeling said without hesitation "Seriously, I know you guys just wanted to help, and I know we all had good reasons for trying to take care of the problem ourselves. But really, this is something we should have taken to a professional shrink from day one."

"We did not know, friend" Starfire said quietly "But we are sorry"

"It's okay, Starfire. Like I said, we all made that decision, me included. Now, I think we're about outta time, so I want you guys to do soemhting for me: I want you to get the training room ready for me." Beastboy said, pointing to his stomach "Seriously, I think I've gained like ten pounds since I got here, and somehow Blobbo the Shapeshifter doesn't sound like the kind of name that'll strike fear into the hearts of evildoers everywhere."

Laughing, the Titans made their goodbyes and headed for the exit, feeling better than they had in a while.

A/N

No, you don't get to find out who's on the new team yet. You can guess, if you like.

I want to address a comment dramil made a few chapters back- he said that Raven was a half-demon and Doctor Light shouldn't have been able to beat her the way he did. I have to admit this is valid, but I defend it anyway. The Raven in the cartoon is too powerful- she can fly, read minds, heal, throw things around with her mind and do magic. I mean, if I had gone with an accurate depiction of her powers, the Jokers Wild would have been all of two chapters. Joker comes to town, Raven and the Titans find him, Raven smashes him into a wall until he passes out. I was forced to make a choice between accuracy and drama, and I went for drama. That's a choice I stand by.


	43. Chapter 43

Over the course of the next two months, the Titans fell into a regular routine. Robin spent his time training and investigating the strange crime wave, which seemed to have hit the city. While violent, super powered criminals seemed to be keeping their heads down at the moment, a large number of conventional burglaries were occurring. The thieves had struck high-tech companies, jewelers, museums and banks. Although conventional robberies were usually left to the police, Robin had asked for and received permission to examine the cases. The young detective had a nagging suspicion that there was more to this than simple robbery- though there was no discernible connection between any of the crimes, nor any obvious pattern to them, they all were too well done for it to be an ordinary crime wave. Each robbery was completely clean- no fingerprints, no dropped objects, no security footage. At the moment, Robin suspected an organized ring of professional thieves had entered the city, though it was to soon to tell for sure.

He was also kept busy with the formation of Titans North. Although all of the proposed members had agreed to join the team, that was only the very first step in the process. There were still a number of things that needed to be done before the new super-team would be a viable prospect. There were licenses to obtain, hardware to be purchased, networks to be set up, a base to build, and a hundred other details that new heroes wouldn't be able to do. Although Robin was able to delegate some details (such as base design and networks) to Cyborg and others, he was still the only one really qualified to deal with the endless red tape generated by the project. There were times, he reflected, when he missed being an independent operator like Batman.

In his spare time, he'd decided to help Starfire learn more about Earth culture by taking her to various museums and art galleries. He wanted to show her that Jump City was not the be-all and end-all of the planet, and to give her a broader view of his people's soul. He not only guided her through the halls of paintings and sculptures, he took the time to explain each piece as best he could. Fortunately, Batman's training had involved a great deal of Art classes- art thefts were, after all, a major business in Gotham and a detective had to know something about the loot in order to solve the crime.

For her part, Starfire had been most interested in the art presented in the city's galleries and museums, once she'd been made to understand the idea behind it. Tameranian culture was almost exclusively oral, and the idea of visual art was not one that came easily to her. On her world, paintings had only been used as visual references until cameras, and later holograms, had been invented. Thus, at first, she had been unclear about why Terrans held these old images in such reverance, or how they could depict things that did not actually exist. However, she soon understood that the paintings and sculptures were a sort of material poetry- designed to convey emotions rather than information. That these images were as significant to Humans as the Ancestral Poems were to her own people. She still hadn't fully assimilated the idea, but she was starting to enjoy her trips to the museum.

Apart from that, Starfire spent a large percentage of her time helping Friend Raven develop herself. In addition to their regular training sessions, Starfire had begun to take her friend on periodic jogs through the city. She theorized that, if Friend Raven began to enjoy exercise, the dark girl would be more likely to keep it up. Together, the two girls began to explore Jump City- their long runs taking them through areas of the city that they had never seen before.  
Finally, the alien princess had managed to convince Friend Cyborg to resume her culinary education. When the metal boy admitted that he had already taught her all that he knew, Starfire had suggested that they learn more together. The pair had acquired a book on European Cuisine, and had begun to try some of the recipes. Friend Cyborg had discovered that he had a talent for pastries, while Starfire found soups to be her strength. Surprisingly, Friend Cassie had shyly asked if she could join them as well. After a warm hug, Starfire had happily presented her friend with a new apron and a recipe for paella. The girl from Gotham had proven to be a quick student, easily mastering what had taken Starfire months to learn. At first, the alien princess had been a bit jealous, but Cassie ahd explained that it was simply a result of her training. Years of relentless instruction from her father and then from Batman had impressed upon her the need to follow all intructions exactly- thus, Cassie never stopped to question recipes the way Starfire sometimes did.

When Beastboy had first left the Tower, Cyborg had been concerned that, without his best friend, his days would be empty and dull. He needn't have worried. Apart from cooking with Starfire, the cybernetic man found he had plenty to do. First and foremost, his duel with Robin had continued apace. The Boy Wonder had retaliated for Operation Night Ride by sending steamy love letters in Cyborg's name to both Bumblebee and Jinx, resulting in angry phone calls (and copious threats). Cyborg had responded by replacing Robin's hair gel with super-glue, causing Robin to glue his hands to his head. Things had only degenerated from there, and now Cyborg spent much of his time planning his next prank and watching for Robin's next move.

He was careful, however, to make time for Raven. Beastboy had worried that Raven might feel lonely, and had sent Cyborg a letter asking him to make sure the empath felt appreciated and (as Beastboy put it) "un-alone". So Cyborg had asked for Raven's help in designing the base for the Titans North- and had been surprised when the young mystic had actually risen to the challenge. Apparently, Raven had studied Zra'Dhuir- the Azerathian version of Fung Shuei- and had a number of ideas on how to incorporate mystic protections into the bases very shape. Cyborg noticed that, the more time Raven spent working on the plans, the more she seemed to enjoy it.

Raven did, in fact, enjoy working on the blueprints for what was being called Tower North. The education she'd received in Azerath had been rather narrow, focusing mainly on magical, religious, and psychic skills. It was rare that she got a chance to use this knowledge, as the Titans had rarely faced significant magical enemies. In fact, the last time she had put her knowledge of Zra'Dhuir to real use had been in decorating her own room- the Tower had already been designed when she joined the team, and she hadn't felt comfortable asking to alter the plans to incorporate mystic warding. Apart from that, Raven split her time between training, meditation, and Beastboy. Her work with Starfire was beginning to show real progress- her stamina was better, and she was getting noticeably stronger. Her training with Cassie was also coming along nicely. The first few sessions had focused on teaching Raven the basic moves common to all fighting styles, then drilling her until she knew them perfectly. Batgirl had then handed the empath a series of pamphlets, describing the various fighting styles that she knew, and asked Raven to select one. After much study, Raven had settled on Aikido- reasoning that the emphasis on defensive maneuvers and escaping holds would best suit her goals. After that, they had begun an intensive program, training for several hours a day. As a result, Raven now felt that she would be able to defeat a single attacker in close combat and she hoped to continue to improve.

Raven continued to visit her boyfriend, though at the request of the hospital staff, the visits were limited to three times per week. The doctors had asked her to do so, explaining that BEastboy needed to keep his mind on his therapy in order to recover. During their meetings, the two lovers opened up further and further to one another. For instance, Beastboy revealed that, appearances aside, he'd never seen Mento as a cold or indifferent leader. The changeling regaled his girlfriend with stories of Father-Son camping trips, family picnics, and of long nights when the normally grim hero had stayed up comforting his 'son' after a bad dream. Raven, in turn, told Beastboy about her own mother- a quiet, reserved and yet loving woman. Raven found that, the more she shared with the green boy, the more she loved him, and the more she yearned for him to return home to her.

Cassie, meanwhile, spent her time forging bonds with her teammates. Whether it was training with Raven, sparring with Robin, or cooking with Starfire and Cyborg, the Girl Wonder found that she had something in common with all of the Titans. Barbara Gordon had been very happy to hear this- she had long told the quiet girl that she needed to make more friends. That had brought Cassie up short- she had never consciously thought of the Titans as 'friends'. Her training, first with her father and later with Batman, had led her to think of most people as allies at best. Yet, upon reflection, she was surprised to discover that it was true- she felt almost as close to the Titans as she did to the BatClan. She had friends. It was an odd sensation, but a thoroughly pleasant one.

This was the Titans normal routine, until early one Tuesday in May when the phone rang.

* * *

"YAHOOO!!" Tim yelled as he hung up the phone in the Common Room. All the Titans turned their gaze to their leader as he cartwheeled passed the couch.

"Boyfriend Tim! What is wrong? What is the reason for your shouting?" Starfire exclaimed, worriedly. In her experience, Boyfriend Tim rarely did the shouting unless something was very badly wrong. She flew to her love's side and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. To her surprise, the young hero turned to her with a broad smile on his face.

"That was the Sunnyvale Hospital" he said, joyfully "They've analyzed Beastboy's current mental state, and feel he'll be ready to come home soon!"

Raven bolted from the couch as the television exploded. Grabbing Tim by his new Jump City Jaguars shirt, she yanked him forward. "What? Already? How soon?"

Tim laughed and gently pulled himself out of the dark girls grasp and nodded. "Apparently he's been doing really well in therapy, and they feel he's about ready to return to normal life. They need to keep him one more week for observation, but unless something goes really badly wrong, we'll be able to check him out next Tuesday at nine AM!"

"I do not wish to be the damp covering nor a defecator of celebrations" Starfire said slowly and quietly "But is Friend Beastboy well and truly cured now? Or need we fear that he shall revert to his old fears?"

Robin's good mood broke, briefly, as he remembered how his friend had been. "I doubt he's totally cured just yet, Star- and I don't think he will be for some time. He'll probably still see a psychologist a few times a week for a while. But the hospital says that he can come home, and that's definitely a step in the right direction!"

"Well, no argument here!" Cyborg exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "I always knew the little cabbage head would bounce back! We gotta plan a party, guys!"

"Come on Starfire, Cyborg!' Cassie said, racing for the kitchen "We need to plan big meal! Need cake, ice cream..."

As the other Titans headed for what would no doubt prove to be a lengthy planning session, Robin looked over at Raven. "Raven, I know you're worried about going to the sanitarium, but it'd mean a lot to the green guy if you were there with us on Monday."

Raven nodded. "I know. I think- and this is just a theory, Robin- but I think that if we were to stay outside the main building I might be able to handle it."

Robin smiled again. "Good. That's what we'll do then."

The next week passed with excruciating slowness, as the Titans prepared the Tower for their long-absent friend's homecoming. Cyborg and Robin had purchased a number of new movies and videogames, all in genres the changeling preferred. A vast feast had been planned, far out doing the meal Starfire had made to welcome Beastboy back after his capture by the Joker. Cassie had worked on decorating for the party, streaming brightly colored paper across the walls of the Common Room. Raven, however, couldn't seem to distract herself from her anticipation- in just a few short days, the boy she loved would be home again. It was difficult for her to go on with her daily routine in the face of this, as thoughts of him crept into her mind no matter what she was doing.

Finally, though, the big day came. On Monday May twelfth, the Titans rose at six am to prepare for the big event. Cassie, Raven and Tim all dressed in their best civilian clothes while Cyborg and Starfire tinkered with their holorings. Finally, when they were all ready, the Titans set out for the hospital.

The long drive was surprisingly silent, as each of the young heroes was consumed by their own thoughts. They had all missed Beastboy terribly, and were eager to see him once more. Eventually, the minivan (chosen by Cyborg to preserve the team's privacy) reached the hospital gates. Driving up to the administrative building, all five heroes were fidgeting with anticipation.

When they reached the main desk, Tim strode boldly up to the receptionist while glancing up at the clock. 'Nine AM on the dot' he thought with a smile. "Hello, miss" he said in a friendly tone "We're here to pick up our friend Garfield Logan."

The middleaged woman began typing at her computer. "Logan...Logan..." she murmured to herself as she checked her files. "Ah! Here we are... Oh, dear. I'm afraid that patient checked out over two hours ago."

The Titans rushed up to the desk at that point. Raven was the first to speak, and despite the immense emotional pressure she felt this close to the sanitarium, she somehow managed to keep her voice calm. "What do you mean, he checked out two hours ago?"

"Just what I said, dearie" the woman replied, turning her computer monitor so that the teens could see the screen. "He was picked up by someone who had a signed letter from a Victor Stone, authorizing him to pick up Garfield Logan. See? Now, let me just check what his name was..."

As the woman went back to her files, all the Titans turned to look at Cyborg. The disguised hero put up his hands "Hey, don't look at me! I didn't sign any letters!"

"Ah, here we are!" the receptionist exclaimed. "The patient was picked up by one doctor Strohmann"

"Strohmann?" Tim repeated "Strohmann...." Suddenly, recognition flashed onto his face. "Oh no" he breathed.

"What is it?! WHAT?!" Raven cried, as a nearby couch was shredded by a black aura.

Turning to his friends, Tim swallowed heavily. " Strohmann is German. It means.... Scarecrow"

A/N

Oh, wow. Jarec's repeating himself. Guess he's out of ideas huh?

Heh. Heh heh heh.

Incidentally, what I know about German would probably fill a thimble half-way, so I turned to online translation. If I'm wrong, blame them not me.

This chapter marks a huge turning point in this story, and I'd kind of like to see it commemorated by hitting a round three hundred reviews. This isn't a blackmail attempt- whatever happens I'll still update when and as I can (finals permitting). It's just that I'd like to see three hundred reviews, particularly reviews from readers who've been silent so far. Consider it, then, a plea from a fundamentally insecure author.


	44. Chapter 44

Through a supreme force of effort, Raven managed to keep her raging emotions under control until the Titans had returned to the T-Car. Robin ahd quickly decided that, given the situation, it would be best to get the team back home before someone did something they'd all regret. The ride had been conducted in shocked silence, as each of the Titans tried to deal with what they had just learned, each in their own way. Raven entered a meditative state the second she entered the car, reaching into her mind to calm her emotions as best she could. Starfire wept silently, green tears streaking her face- truly it seemed as though the universe itself were set against her dear friend. Cyborg ground his teeth in frustrated fury, angry that his best friend was missing once more. Robin and Batgirl, however, were the hardest hit- they alone had first hand experience of the Scarecrow, and knew the horrible mental trauma the self-proclaimed Master of Fear could inflict on healthy minds. The instant they reached the Tower, Raven broke the silence.

"All right" she said in her normal monotone "we'll start combing the city for Beastboy immediately. Robin, get us a map of the city so we can-"

"No" Robin said simply.

"No?" Raven repeated incredulously, her eyes beginning to glow. Behind her, a wrench lifted into the air.

"That's right" Robin affirmed "Raven don't you remember how we searched for Beastboy the last time? If that experience taught me anything it's that a blind search of the whole city is a colossal waste of everyones time. Here's what we're going to do instead: I am going to contact Gotham and find out approximately how long Crane's been in Jump City. That way we'll know what sort of resources and preparations he'll have ready. Meanwhile, Cyborg I want you to start looking into that phony letter Crane gave the hospital- find out who made it, and how they got your signature. Raven, you and Cassie will go over a map of the city looking for hide-outs- Crane is a deeply antisocial person so focus on isolated locations with access to large amounts of storage space. Starfire, we'll need coffee and lots of it."

"Okay" Raven agreed "and once we have our information?"

"Then" Robin sighed "The rest of us will go out looking while you stay here"

"WHAT?" Raven exclaimed, as a box of tools exploded on the other side of the garage, the metal tools actually breaking as they hit the ground "You expect me to just sit around while Beastboy's in the hands of ANOTHER maniac?!"

Robin leaned in close to Raven's face "Yes. That is exactly what's going to happen. Raven, look at that toolbox- your emotions are out of control right now. Tell me the truth- if you found Scarecrow right now, could you honestly guarantee me that you wouldn't kill him? Or that you wouldn't destroy everything in the area?"

Raven held her leader's gaze for a moment, but then lowered her eyes. "No" she said quietly.

Robin leaned back, and put a hand on Raven's shoulder "I know this is a hard time for you Raven, and we're all here for you. But we still have to follow the rules, and right now you're too dangerous to be running around loose. Now, everyone knows what they're supposed to do- TITANS GO!"

As the Titans split up to pursue their diverse tasks, Robin headed for his own chambers. Once in his room, Robin headed straight to his computer, deactivated the three firewalls, input 2 different passwords, and opened a channel to the Batcave. Given the time difference between Jump City and Gotham, he knew it to be about five in the morning there- meaning that Batman would be out on patrol. But the Batcomputer would automatically route his transmission to the Batmobile, allowing him to speak with his mentor. He was a little surprised then when the screen showed Nightwing seated in front of the Batcomputer, sipping from a bottle of water. The older vigilante smiled and toasted the screen with his bottle.

:"Timmy!" he exclaimed "Just thinkin' about you, bro! How you doing?"

Robin failed to smile. "Not so good, Dick. Listen, when was the last time you heard about Scarecrow?"

Nightwing frowned. "He escaped Arkham early last week, but we picked his trail up a little while ago. Why do you ask, Tim?"

Briefly, Robin filled his older brother in on the basics of the situation. Nightwing's frown deepened as he listened. When Robin finished, Nightwing let out a low whistle.

"Man, that little friend of yours just cannot catch a break huh? First the Joker, now this." Nightwing sipped from his water again. "I'm afraid I've got bad news, Tim- Crane was last spotted at JFK airport four hours ago."

Robin blinked. "What? How- How is that possible? He couldn't possibly have flown to Jump, and picked up Beastboy, AND come back in just a few hours."

"You didn't let me finish, Tim. Crane was spotted LEAVING the airport- he had someone with him. A young boy, short, with green hair."

Robin placed his head in his hands and groaned. "You'd better give me the details."

Nightwing nodded and closed his eyes. "At approximately 12:37 AM, a security guard at JFK spotted a tall man with a thin build and long, straw-colored hair exit the main terminal building at the airport with a small teenager with green hair. This guard happened to be a former GCPD officer- fired for minor corruption in the last departmental sweep- who knew enough about the Rogues to be suspicious. Following them, he was able to get a good look at the man as he entered a taxi- and confirm that it was Jonathan Crane. After noting the license plate of the cab, he called the authorities and made his report. Batman was notified and we began a city wide search for the cab. We found the driver in Crime Alley- he 'd been dosed with Fear Toxin and was running around screaming about cockroaches. He's now at Gotham Central Hospital, being treated. We've got no lead on Crane or his captive."

Robin let out a deep sigh. "Thanks, Dick. Now I get to tell the others"

* * *

"...And that's the situation" Robin said, looking around the conference table at his fellow Titans. He'd called them together the moment that he'd finished talking with Dick, and told them all that he'd learned from Gotham.

Raven stood up. "Okay, we leave for Gotham immediately. I can't teleport all of us that far, so we'll be taking the T-Jet. Everyone take only what you'll need for..."

Robin held up his hand. "No one is going anywhere Raven"

"On the contrary, Robin" Raven said, glaring at the Boy Wonder as only a half-demon can glare "I am going to Gotham, with or without you. You can all follow me if you like." A dark glow began to surround teh empath as she prepared to teleport.

"Raven, if you leave without my permission don't bother coming back!" Robin snapped, and such was the sincerity of his voice that the glwo around Raven disipated.

Raven gawked at him before speaking. "Are you serious? You would actually throw me off the team for going to save the boy I love?"

"No, I would throw you off the team for abandoning the city in order to look for the boy you loved" Robin clarified, gesturing for Raven to sit. When she did so, he continued. "Raven, you know damn well what's been going on in Jump City the last few months. Slade- or someone employing Slade- is up to something big- something that might very well threaten the entire city. We're heroes, Raven, and sometimes that means we have to make sacrifices to protect our charges."

"So, we're just going to abandon him? Let Crane have whatever sick fun he has in mind?" Raven asked, bitterness and resignation clear in her voice.

Robin shook his head. "No, we're just not going to rush off. Cyborg, you remember that team we drew up a few months ago? Do you have their contact info?"

The metal man nodded his head. "Yeah, I've got 'em."

"Good. Start calling them as soon as this meeting is over. I want you to tell them they're about to get some hands on practice." Robin smiled, before turning his attention to Raven. "It might take them a few days to get here, Raven, but the second they're here and settled we'll leave for Gotham. In the meantime, I'll ask Batman to begin investigating- who knows? He'll probably get the whole thing solved before we ever leave Jump City. He's not called the world's greatest detective for nothing you know. Can you hold out that long?"

"I'll try" Raven said dully "Starfire, would you mind coming with me for a moment? I'd like to talk to you."

"Of course Friend Raven" Starfire said, glad she could do something to help. The pair got up and left the conference room.

Robin turned to the others. "Cyborg, what did you find?"

"Not much. The letter was a certificate of responsibility- transferring legal responsibility for Garfield Logan from Victor Stone et al to one Doctor Ernst signature, oddly enough, checks out completely- it's definitely my handwriting and matches all my signatures perfectly. That doesn't mean much, though, there're plenty of ways to fix that if you've got the time and money. I got the name of the lawyer who drew it up- I was about to get in touch with him when you called us all here."

"I busy too" Cassie chimed in. "Found lots of hiding places for Scarecrow in Jump City. Too bad all wasted now." She gave a small, self-deprecating laugh.

Cyborg patted her hand as he rose from the table. "Not wasted, Cass- we'll keep em on file for the next circus freak to try to hide in our town. I'll go make the calls, Rob."

Outside her room Raven leaned her head against the wall. "Am I a bad person, Starfire?"

"Most certainly not!" the alien princess exclaimed. "Who has told you such a vile untruth?"

"I must be, because it's become painfully clear that the universe hates me. Every time I think that real happiness is within my grasp, something comes along to take it away from me. I started getting close to my mother, only to be told I had to leave the only home I ever had. I started warming up to Terra, started to think of her as a friend, and she reveals herself as a traitor. I start to fall in love with Beastboy and he's kidnapped by the Joker. And now, just when our relationship is really turning into something serious, he's snatched away from me again." A single tear ran down the empath's gray cheek."I swear it, it's like the universe has decided I have to be miserable and alone"

Starfire locked her arms around her sombre friend, giving her a gentle hug. "The universe does not hate you, Friend Raven" she said sofltly "The universe does not hate anyone, nor love anyone. It simply IS. It is people who love and hate. But this I swear to you- you are NOT alone, nor shall you remain miserable. We are all with you, my friend, and we shall aid you in recovering your beloved. I swear it in the name of holy X'Hal."

Raven sniffed back a tear. "Thank you, Starfire."

An hour later, Cyborg tramped into the kitchen, looking for a snack. He found Raven sitting at the table, holding a cup of cold tea, staring at nothing. The metal man cleared his throat loudly, causing his dark friend to turn her head towards him.

"How are you holding up, girl?" Cyborg asked gently, opening up a cupboard and extracting a bag of pretzels.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose." Raven said "I'm worried about him, and scared for him, and miss him terribly. You?"

"The same" Cyborg replied quietly. He reached for a bowl and began to fill it wit salty snacks. "I've been working like crazy to keep my mind off my worries- tracking down as much information as I could about that damned letter. Before that, I made all the calls to the new recruits. They're all willing to come, but it'll take time. They can't just take off at a moments notice, they have to settle up their affairs. Then they'll have to travel here. We wired them all money to travel as fast as they could, but even so it'll take time. Fang and Kitten are the closest ones, and they live in Wisconsin. The rest live much further away. We're looking at a few days wait, maybe a week."

Raven sipped absent-mindedly from the tea in her hand. "What did you find? About the letter I mean."

Cyborg sat down and popped a pretzel into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, then answered. "Not a lot. The lawyer who drafted the thing is dirty- he worked for the mob for a long time, and then for whoever could offer him enough cash after that. A few days ago, a woman who called herself Janet Doe came to him with an offer- draft this letter, without asking about the people involved, and certify the signed copy. In exchange, she offered one million dollars. He agreed immediately."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that unethical?"

"Horribly." Cyborg gave her a grim smile. "Our good friend should be involved in disbarrment hearings before the week is out."

Raven nodded, then rose from the table. "I'm going to go meditate."

Cyborg nodded, and patted her back as she passed. "We're here for you, Raven. You aren't alone"

Raven gave him a weak smile. "I know"

A/N  
Thanks to everyone who made my dreams come true. I honestly didn't think you'd do it, but here we are at 300 hits, just as I finish the chapter. Thanks to all of you!


	45. Chapter 45

The next few days crawled by for the Titans, as they waited for their temporary replacements to arrive. Each of the young heroes was consumed by thoughts of Beastboy- and how they had again allowed him to be captured. To distract themselves, each of the Titans found their own unique displacement activity- something to take their mind off their worries. Cyborg spent his time updating the Tower's defense systems and security net, something he'd been meaning to do for months. Robin worked in tandem with the Batclan to develop a comprehensive search plan for Gotham City- Batman had grudgingly agreed to allow metahuman heroes to operate in his city, but only under his supervision.

Cassie and Starfire had chosen a different method of occupying their time. After a brief discussion, they had decided that the best way they could help Raven was by keeping her too busy to worry or blame herself. For this reason, they had drawn up an elaborate daily schedule for their friend, containing activities to fill her time. It included physical training, Aikido, meditation sessions, Tai Chi lessons, cooking lessons, shared patrols and trips to her favorite café. Raven understood her friend's motivations, but found herself unable to be angry at them for caring about her. She went along with their plans, and was surprised to find that it did help, a little. Still, though, her mind would always drift back to her missing boyfriend, and the horrors he was no doubt enduring.

Finally, the Titans received word that their replacements would be arriving the next day. For convenience sake, they would all enter Jump City at the same time. Five would be arriving by train, while the sixth had simply said to meet him at the docks at eight a.m. Robin had smiled at that, and asked Starfire to join him for breakfast at the docks.

Starfire was somewhat puzzled by how Boyfriend Robin was behaving that morning. First he had split the team in two- he and Starfire would go to meet the lone arrival at the docks, while the other three Titans met their replacements at the railway station. Next, he had told Starfire not to eat breakfast before leaving for the docks, saying that "he's going to be hungry and he hates to eat alone". Starfire did not know who 'he' was, or why Boyfriend Robin was so concerned about making 'him' happy, she only knew that eight of her nine stomachs were growling with hunger. Finally, in the midst of all the misery caused by Friend Beastboy's most terrible disappearance, Boyfriend Robin surprised her by whistling as they made their way to the docks on his motorcycle.

When they arrived at the docks, it was already nearly nine, and Starfire felt faint with hunger. Tamaranian metabolisms ran high, and required a great deal of nutrition to function properly (hence their nine stomachs). Worse, the Jump City docks were filled with places selling foods, and the many delicious aromas were most tempting. As they walked along the waterfront to the meeting point, the alien girl tried to identify the many smells in the air. Fried poultry embryos, burnt animal flesh, she could even smell liquefied fruit pulp! But Boyfriend Robin was adamant- they could not eat until 'he' arrived.

Finally, they reached the isolated pier which the new arrival had chosen as a meeting point. Starfire could not understand what made this one pier so special- the only noteworthy thing about it was that it was the furthest out of all. Scanning the horizon, she saw a tiny speck in the air.

"Boyfriend Robin, I believe I see something!" She exclaimed, pointing. "Is that him?"  
"Could be, Star, he always did like the dramatic." Robin said with a smile.

As the object came closer, Starfire wondered at its speed. Judging by how quickly it was growing, she calculated that it must be traveling unbelievably quickly. It was too fast to be a Terran jet, and too small to be an extraterrestrial craft. She glanced at Robin, hoping his actions would give her some clue how to respond. To her surprise, he began waving towards the object, which responded by increasing its speed.

Within seconds, it came close enough to make out details. It appeared to be a young boy about their age, and he soon reached the docks. He hovered over the water, and Starfire was finally able to get a good look at him. He wore tight black pants and a black leather jacket, zipped up to his throat. His eyes were piercing blue, and his mid length black hair whipped about in the sea breeze. In fact, as she looked closer, Starfire was sure he reminded her of someone- but she could not imagine who. Seeing the pair looking at him, the boy gave a big smile and thrust one arm into the air.

"Have no fear" he exclaimed "Superboy is here!"

"Kon!" Robin called out, laughing "Get down here you goof! How was your flight from the Big Island?"

Slowly, Superboy descended to the dock before drawing Robin into a hug. "Eh, not bad. I ran into a bit of a storm about an hour ago, but nothing I couldn't handle. Let's grab a bite to eat, man, I'm starved- had to leave Hawaii at like five in the morning to get here and there was like NOTHING open. I've been flying on empty for hours now. Who's the hottie?"

Robin put an arm around her shoulder, causing the alien girl to blush slightly. "This is my girlfriend. Starfire, this is Kon-El, better known as Superboy and one of my best friends"

"I greet you" Starfire said, clearly impressed. "I did not know there were any Kryptonians of our age alive. When did you come to this planet? Or are you perhaps Superman's son?"

Superboy chuckled and unzipped his jacket. Sure enough, emblazoned on his chest was the famous S symbol. "Well, not exactly, although you're pretty close. I'm actually a clone of Superman, made when everyone thought he was dead. I got most of his powers, plus a few of my own. And right now I got a super-appetite, so let's get some food."

The trio found a quiet restaurant and proceeded to order breakfast. Starfire asked for waffles and mustard, while Robin asked for toast and coffee. Superboy went all out and ordered the Breakfast Bonanza- Pancakes, juice, bacon, eggs, sausage and hashbrowns. After the waitress left with their orders, Starfire excused herself to use the bathroom, leaving the two heroes alone.  
Superboy leaned across to whisper to his friend. "I'm glad you're moving on after Stephanie, bro. I know it ain't easy"

Robin nodded. "I heard about Tana, man. I'm sorry- she was great."

Superboy nodded. "Yeah, she was but I'm starting to get over her death- as much as I ever will. Don't suppose Starfire has a sister, huh?"

Robin threw back his head and laughed, causing nearby diners to turn and look at him curiously. When he recovered, Robin said "Actually, she does, but I doubt you'd want to get involved with her. Let's just say that she's more than you can handle, okay?"

"Pfft" Superboy snorted "Whatever, man. Have faith in the Man of Steel- there's nothing I can't handle. Anyway, where's the rest of your team?"

Robin sipped at his water. "Right now? They should be arriving at Jump City train station to meet the rest of YOUR team…"

* * *

Raven was NOT having a good day. Because of Robin's insistence on leaving early, she and Starfire had not been able to do their now-customary morning workout. As a result, she had a surfeit of energy, and she felt completely out of sorts. Raven was most comfortable when her life was ordered and predictable- changes to her daily routine always made her nervous. Moreover, the train station was a chaotic mess and had been for several days- ever since a vagrant had discovered (and accidentally activated) one of the Joker's last big bombs, the area had been undergoing reconstruction. So, in addition to the usual commotion caused by the commuter rush, the station was filled with the sounds of heavy machinery and construction. Finally, the Titans had come to the station in uniform, in order to help the new members find them as easily as possible. This meant that the people around them were constantly staring at them, wondering why the city's heroes were waiting around a train station at eight-thirty in the morning.

The empathy sighed and massaged her temples in a spirited attempt to ward off a headache. "When do they get here again?" she asked, trying to keep the tension from her voice. "and how will we know who they are?"

"Jinx, Fang and Kitten are traveling openly- they're former criminals, so not a lot of point in them hiding. The other two… one said she's coming with them, and to watch for 'the patriotic blonde'. The other just said he'd introduce himself." Cyborg replied, raising his voice to be heard over the stations noise level. "As for when, I don't know. The trains in Jump are usually pretty good, but that blast threw things out of whack- basically, the train'll get here in the next twenty minutes or so."

"Fantastic." Raven sighed.

After another ten minutes, the train finally pulled into the station. The Titans stepped back to allow the crowd of commuters to exit the train, all the while looking for their replacements. After the main crush of people had left, Batgirl spotted a boy with a spider for a head heading for the ticket booth. Clearly, this was the prelude to a robbery. Most people would have been frozen in horror at this grotesque sight, but Batgirl was a Gotham vigilante, and had seen many such abominations. Without hesitation she leapt into action, launching a flying kick into the monsters back. The spider-boy hit the ground hard, and Batgirl slammed her knee onto his back while she reached to her utility belt for her handcuffs. As she moved to cuff the beast, she felt small hands beating on her back.

"Let my Fangy go!" a high pitched voice shrieked. Turning around, Batgirl saw a small blonde glaring at her with undisguised rage. Even more surprising, behind the girl were Raven and Cyborg staring at her in shock.

"Batgirl? What are you doing?!" Cyborg exclaimed, lifting her off the boy. "That's one of the guys we're waiting for!"

"We waiting for spider-headed boy?" Batgirl asked, more than a little confused now.

The blonde rushed to the fallen boys side, and began gently rubbing his back as she checked him for injury. When she was satisfied that he was all right, she began to help him up. The dazed boy turned glared at Batgirl with all eight of his eyes. "Nice" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm "Tell me something; is this the way you greet everyone who comes to help or was this a special occasion?"

Batgirl felt a bit ashamed at that- until Raven spoke up. "She's never met either of you before, Fang. Just let it go." The dark girl said. "So, where's Jinx? She said she'd be coming with you."

"Right here, Goth Girl" the pink-haired sorceress said, walking up behind the group. "I just wanted to pick up a newspaper. I also found this walking around asking about superheroes" Jinx jerked her thung to point at a young girl who stood beside her. The girl wore a T-Shirt patterned after the American flag, and had an 'Uncle Sam' style top hat on. She gave the Titans a shy wave, her blue eyes reflecting her nervousness.

Cyborg smiled. "Let me guess" he said "You're the patriotic blonde?"

"Um, yeah" the girl said with a laugh, extending her hand "Courtney Whitmore". Cyborg and Batgirl both shook her hand, while Raven gave her a nod.

Before the Titans could search for the final arrival, a young man came over to them. He was about average in height, with a scrawny build and an Elvis hairstyle. He was also lame, bearing the weight of his twisted left leg on an old fashioned wooden crutch. "Excuse me, Titans? " he said "I'm Freddy Freeman, of the Fawcett City Star- do you have a moment for an interview?"

For a long moment, no one said anything. The Titans stared at the boy- and his crutch- wondering how this could possibly be the man they were waiting for, while the new arrivals simply wondered who this was. Eventually Cyborg spoke up.

"Uhhh, sure…" he said, uncertainty in his voice. "Um. Why don't we talk somewhere private before we take you to the Tower for a proper interview, okay?"

Freddy nodded amiably. "Fine by me. Lead the way."

Unwilling to take the boy into the T-Car just yet, Cyborg led him and the others to a nearby parking garage. In the wake of the recent blast, the garage had been evacuated- along with several other buildings in the area. Once they were alone, Raven turned to the young reporter.

"Okay" she said "let's be up front here. I don't know what kind of joke you think you're playing, but I promise you it's not funny. What kind of superhero are you supposed to be, huh? Captain Cripple? Lame Lad? Tiny Tim?"

"RAVEN!" Cyborg exclaimed, horrified at her lack of tact.

"No, Cyborg, this is too important to be nice about. Look, I'm sorry about the cripple thing- chalk it up to a bad morning- but, really, what can you do? What makes you think you could have a place on the Titans?"

Cyborg sighed "I wouldn't have been so blunt about it, man, but Raven's got a point. I mean, with that leg I don't think you can claim to be the guy we're waiting for. I hope you aren't offended, but we really do have to go look for this guy."

Freddy just nodded at all this. "I see what you mean, and I'm not offeded. I mean, I admit I don't look anything like a superhero. But I can prove myself, with just two words. May I?"

Raven rolled her eyes and nodded. "I really hope for your sake that those words are "I'm Superman because otherwise…"

Freddy turned his head to the sky and spoke in a loud, clear voice. "Captain Marvel!"

Everything about the next few seconds should have been impossible. First, lighting does not normally strike indoors, but it did. Second, at such close range, the bolt of lightning should have given everyone there serious burns, but it didn't. The thunder should have been deafening, but it wasn't. Finally, when they were able to see again, the Titans did not see a young man leaning on a crutch. Instead, they saw a tall, muscular youth. He wore blue tights, emblazoned with a golden lightning bolt on the chest, yellow boots and wristbands and a fluttering white cape.

Raven sank slowly to her knees, her mouth wide open. "I- that.. I've never felt so much… and you just… what was… What did it… where did so much magic.."

"Ahem. You wanted to know what I could do, I believe?" the stranger said with a smile. "Wisdom of Solomon, strength of Hercules, courage of Achilles, power of Zeus, stamina of Atlas, speed of Mercury. "

"The power of Shazam" breathed Raven, her eyes never leaving him. "You're the wizard's champion..."

"So I guess you ARE Captain Marvel Junior?" Cyborg said a little sheepishly. "man, I'm sorry about not believing you earlier. I'm guessing Raven's sorry about that Captain Cripple Crack, too." The empath merely blushed and nodded, deeply ashamed of herself.

"I don't blame you, and by the way I prefer CMJ" the young hero said "I can't actually refer to my boss by name, or I change back to Freddy Freeman. So, these are my team mates I take it? Nice to meet you all."

"Likewise" Fang replied "Let's get on to that Tower- I've always wanted to see the place."

Jinx nodded "Sounds like a plan"

A/N

Wow. Over a month between chapters. I'm not apologizing; life got in my way, but still… a month. Jeez.

Freddy's hair is a tribute to Elvis, who actually modeled his hairstyle after Captain Marvel Junior and was apparently a huge fan.

Superboy's depiction in this story will mostly stick to his early persona- I liked him best when he was a cocky young punk in Hawaii. Nothing against his later years, but it helped him stand out from the usual bland 'sidekick' teen hero.

For those who don't know, Courtney Whitmore is Stargirl.


	46. Chapter 46

After breakfast, Starfire and Robin escorted Superboy back to Titans Tower- the sooner the new team was briefed and settled in, the sooner the Titans could leave for Gotham. As they traveled, Robin contacted the other Titans to ensure that there were no problems on their end- in light of recent events, he was taking nothing for granted. Starfire rode behind him, holding him tight- "for I do not like riding in this manner, though I am too tired to fly"- as the R-Cycle raced through downtown Jump. Above them, Superboy chuckled as he flew; that Starfire was a lot craftier than Robin knew.

When the trio reached the Tower, they were surprised to hear the sounds of an argument coming from upstairs. Making their way up, they found Fang and Jinx glaring at one another in the middle of the Common Room, while Batgirl and Cyborg held them back. Off to one side, Kitten looked on with tears shimmering in her eyes while Stargirl looked unsure of what to do. Robin stepped forward, his face clouded with anger.

"All right" he said angrily "what's going on here?"

"Robin" Jinx said, never taking her eyes off Fang "Why are spiderboy and the girl here? She's basically useless, and he's just a thug. I mean, name one superpower they have that someone else here doesn't already have!"

"Gee, that's a good one, Pinky" Fang snarled "Let's see… we have the amazing ability to keep a relationship going for more than two months. I have the astonishing ability to actually work without at least two people backing me up. OH! And Kitten has these amazing things called… breasts. So, that's three powers you don't have, stick girl."

Jinx's eyes narrowed as a glow of pink energy coalesced around one fist. Fang responded by raising himself up on his spidery limbs, angling his body forward into an attack position while Batgirl desperately tried to pull him back down. Robin leaped forward, positioning himself between the two ex-villains.

"ENOUGH!" He yelled "Back down, BOTH of you!"

Slowly, reluctantly, the two new Titans obeyed. Once the two were settled, Robin spoke again.

"Jinx. Let's say there's been a robbery in the Jump City industrial zone- a top secret microprocessor has been stolen. The thieves are already gone. Where do you start looking?"

Jinx bit her lip, as she desperately thought. Finally she shook her head. "I…. I don't know Robin. I'm not really a detective."

Robin nodded and turned to Fang. "Fang, same question."

The spider-mutant stroked his pedipalps, wiping away a thin trail of liquid. "The Industrial zone? Well, if the thieves are still in the area, then I'd say to start at the Yellow Lotus bar. The Yakuza that run the place are always looking for new technology. If the thieves have moved, then it's a much longer list, but my first step would be the docks- the Kult of Kobra usually have someone around there, and they're even more hungry for tech than the Yakuza."

Robin nodded, and turned back to Jinx who was looking at Fang in shock. "That's why he's here Jinx. He's spent a lifetime working in Jump City's underworld- he knows the players, he knows the hangouts and he knows the hiding places. More than that, though, he knows how to find those things and how to establish connections. All of thatch means he'll be invaluable in scoping out your new city. As for Kitten, she's an experienced dispatcher for the Milwaukee EMT unit- her role will be to co-ordinate the team's activities across the city. But for any of that to happen, you guys have to learn to work together, not bicker like school kids"

Slowly, the pink haired sorceress turned to Fang, extending her hand. "I'm woman enough to admit when I'm wrong, Fang. I'm sorry."

Fang looked at her hand for a moment, as though surprised by it. Then, gently, he took it and shook. "Yeah, well, I was way outta line too. Let's just pretend that whole thing never happened, huh?"

Robin sighed. "All right, now that that's out of the way, we can get on with things. Where're Raven and Captain Marvel Junior?"

"Um" Stargirl said, hesitantly "Raven said something about giving him a tour of the Tower's mystic defenses. She said that he was the only one of us with REAL knowledge of magic "

* * *

"…which realigns negative energies so they travel out to sea, rather than damaging the Tower" Raven concluded, tapping a small crystal which was discretely embedded in the rooftop. The crystal was the last component of the Tower's mystical defense

"Do you have any questions?

"Just one" Freddy Freeman responded, leaning his weight onto his crutch as he spoke. "Why are you telling me this? I mean, it's true that my powers are magical in nature, and I know a bit about it from the Wisdom of Solomon. But I don't actually use the stuff myself, and I don't really think I want to learn now. So, why am I up here?"

"Because you're the only one with any real knowledge of magic at all. Despite appearances, Jinx doesn't actually do magic; her powers allow her to manipulate chance and probability. These wards" Raven waved a hand towards her handiwork "are make-shift- I only added them to the Tower very recently- in the month, actually. They aren't really a part of the building, which means they might not shield the whole building. More than that, this is the first real magical shield I've ever constructed on my own- I don't know how well it will work or how long they will last. You know enough, now, to at least tell when and how the warding has failed, and I should be able to talk you through most basic repairs."

The young reporter nodded thoughtfully. "I'll try to live up to your expectations, Raven."

The empathy could feel waves of uncertainty coming off him, and motioned for him to sit down. When both teens were seated on the roof top, Raven cleared her throat. "I can tell you're nervous about something. Normally, I'd leave this to someone else to talk to you about, but you don't strike me as the type to share your troubles. So what's wrong?"

Briefly, Freddy considered denying there was a problem. But one look at Raven's piercing gaze told him how futile that would be. With a sigh, he lay down on his back and turned his gaze to the sky. "When Robin called me to invite me to join Titans North, he told me that he wanted me to think about being the team's leader. He said that I had the most real experience as a hero, and that I'd worked in a team before, which made me the best candidate for leader."

Raven nodded. "That makes sense, I suppose. So what's the problem?"

Freddy turned to look at her, his worry plain on his face. "Raven, I've never lead anyone before in my life. Even before I became Cap- I mean, the Cap'n's sidekick, I was a follower and all my experience as a hero revolved around me following someone else's orders. I don't know how to be a leader, and I'm afraid that someone's going to get hurt while I'm trying to learn."

For a moment, Raven said nothing. Internally, she cursed herself for starting this conversation- she wasn't a people person, and had no business trying to advise someone else! But, for better or worse, she was now the one on the spot. She tried to think of what Beastboy would do. Not being able to think of any jokes which would defuse the situation, she fell back on what Robin would do.

"Look, Freddy, the truth is nothing can really prepare you for being a leader. Look at Robin- until he came to Jump City he'd been a sidekick just like you. He had no idea how to lead a team, and especially not a team like ours. Or look at Beastboy- during the battle with the Brotherhood Of Evil he lead a team of totally inexperienced heroes, and helped turn the tide of the whole battle. He'd always been a follower before that, and he did a fine job. Leadership isn't something you LEARN it's something you DO. You're intelligent, brave, and a good person- you'll do all right."

Freddy smiled. "I guess that makes sense, Raven. I mean, the Cap'n's a leader, and he's just a … a regular guy" he finished awkwardly. Raven raised an eyebrow but said nothing. After a moment he went on "So! Let's get back downstairs!"

When everyone was assembled in the conference room, Robin began his briefing. Over the next two hours, he lectured the new team about Jump City- including known criminal organizations, the geography of the city, brief biographies of key officials and a great deal more. When that was finished, he took them on a tour of the Tower, explaining the facilities and equipment and showing them the guest bedrooms they'd be using. Finally, though, it was finished and the Titans North dispursed to get settled, Robin turned to his own team mates.

"All right" he said wearily "We're ready to leave for Gotham. Here's the itinerary: We'll be taking a civilian flight from Jump City International Airport, which means holorings all around. Our flight leaves at nine PM, but we'll arrive early to check-in and get through security. Once we arrive in Gotham, we'll be taken to Wayne Manor by Alfred- the official story is that you're a all my school mates from an ultra-elite private academy out in the Mid-West. I'll brief you on your cover identities when we reach the Manor, but until then just do as I do. While we're in Gotham, Batman wants us to operate as quietly as possible, but don't take it to extremes- Gotham's a major city and superheroes from outside frequently visit, so we CAN cover if we have to. Now, I don't know how long we'll be there- I'm hoping for just a few days but we can't tell. So bring everything you'll need for a long visit. That means clothing, equipment and tools. We'll leave in an hour for the airport- TITANS GO!"

A/N  
Don't expect to see too much of the new team. I know, I know, it's a great concept but honestly I've got enough on my plate with this story. It's hard enough splitting the story between six characters (yes Beastboy will be playing a part in this story) all of whom need to get attention. I may be giving Batgirl the short end of the stick as it is. I may come back to the team in a different story, showing how they dealt with the city in the Titans absence, but until then I'm afraid they will be unsung heroes.


	47. Chapter 47

Cassie had mixed feelings about their trip to Gotham- she spent the whole cab ride to the airport trying to sort them out. On the one hand it was terrible that Beastboy had been abducted again. Her crush on him had passed, and even looked kind of silly in hindsight, but he was still a nice boy and a good friend. He certainly didn't deserve to be the prisoner of the Scarecrow. Cassie knew firsthand what sort of damage that monster could do in a few moments. What he might do to someone over the course of days, especially someone whose mind was already fragile… she shivered; some things didn't bear thinking about.

But on the other hand, Gotham City was the closest thing she had to a home. Jump City was a nice city, and the people were very friendly. Titan's Tower was far nicer and more luxurious than what she was used to. But sometimes she missed her own little apartment, with its sparse but comfortable furnishings, and its wonderful view of the river. She missed the familiar noises of the Gotham night. She missed Barbara and her 'culture appreciation nights' (their private code for a night watching movies). She missed sparring with Dick- somehow, the older vigilante always turned the serious match into a tickle fight. She missed Alfred's cooking, and the old butler's friendly chatting. She knew that, in just a few hours, she'd be able to experience all those wonderful things again, and the thought made her feel happy. But then she remembered why they were going, and felt ashamed of herself for being happy.

Finally, she broached the subject with Raven. She'd noticed that, whenever one of the Titans had some emotional problem, they often discussed it with Raven. Robin said it was because she was good at analyzing emotions and dealing with them logically. It took Cassie a while to make herself understood (and for the millionth time, she cursed her father for never teaching her to speak) but when she did, Raven reassured her that she had nothing to feel guilty about. It was only natural to feel homesick sometimes, and to be happy to return to one's home- so long as she remembered why they were there.

Relieved, Cassie looked out the window, just as they reached the airport. She was glad- she'd noticed that Cyborg seemed increasingly uneasy throughout the ride. Maybe now he'd settle down a bit.

Cyborg had not enjoyed the ride to the airport- he loved to drive, and didn't see why Robin had insisted on taking a cab. The Titans had a number of civilian vehicles, any of which could have taken them to the airport anonymously and comfortably. That the little dictator had refused was almost a personal insult to Cyborg- didn't Robin trust him to drive the team to the airport quickly and quietly?  
The disguised metal man sighed as he moved to the trunk to get their luggage. He knew that he wasn't really agitated over the cab- that was just a convenient excuse. The truth was, he was feeling horribly nervous and horrendously guilty. The guilt was easy to understand- he'd first ignored his best friend's problems, then he'd worsened them with a crackpot 'treatment' which he should have known wouldn't work, then he sent him off to a minimal security hospital without ANY protection. That much was straightforward.  
The nervousness was a little more complicated. Cyborg had spent most of his life in Metropolis, and then he'd moved to Jump City. He was, by any definition, a city boy. But although there were many large urban areas in the United States, Gotham was the Big City- the largest, richest, dirtiest, busiest, most glamorous and crime-ridden city in the world. As a dyed-in-the-wool Metropolite, Cyborg felt an odd mixture of contempt and envy for Gotham. He was a little nervous about going to so large a city. Still, life since his accident had instilled in him a strong Stoic streak- there really wasn't anything he could do about his situation, so he put it out of his mind as best he could, distracting himself by observing the minutiae of airport activity.

Passing through security was fairly easy for most of the Titans- Robin and Batgirl had left their equipment behind, reasoning that they'd be able to get whatever they needed from their mentor, while Raven and Starfire had nothing out of the ordinary with them. Cyborg, on the other hand, was in a delicate situation. Although the advanced alloys of his cybernetic frame wouldn't register on an airport metal detector, if any of the guards decided to touch him it would pretty well destroy his cover. Fortunately, it soon became obvious that the guards were approaching the end of their shift- when the metal detectors and x-rays failed to register anything unusual, they waved the teenagers through without a second glance. Cyborg smiled to himself and gave a silent prayer of thanks for apathy and laziness.

After completing the endless formalities, the Titans finally progressed to the main terminal to wait for their flight. Fortunately, since they were posing as a group of rich kids, the Titans were flying first class and spent the next hour in a well-appointed VIP lounge, reading magazines and watching television. Finally, however, it was time to board the plane. Cyborg glanced over at Starfire, and wondered what the alien girl would think of air travel.

Starfire had never been aboard an airplane before, though she had often seen them in the skies above Jump City. She had not imagined them to be very comfortable- they were so small compared to the transports used on Tamaran, after all. So it was with some surprise that she found the six hour flight to be quite pleasant. Each of her friends was given a large, comfortable seat with its own small television screen, on which they could watch any of a number of films, as well as a small radio playing Earthly music. Two meals were brought to them, and from what she knew of human cuisine, they were excellent. That had been puzzling- Friend Cyborg and dearly-missed-Friend Beastboy had often made jokes about airline food. When she asked about this, Boyfriend Tim ahd smiled and said that it was different in "first Class", whatever that was. She even had her own window- although, in truth, that was a disappointment. The sky did not look as pleasing as it did when she flew, and she missed the feeling of the wind on her face.

Starfire had watched a romantic movie with Boyfriend Tim, leaning her head on his shoulder. When he fell asleep, she examined her other friends. Friend Raven was in a meditative trance- she had said that she wished to guarantee that there were no mishaps involving her powers while onboard a plane. After his meal, Friend Cyborg had plugged his portable charge unit into a small hole in his chair's arm rest before closing his eyes to sleep. Friend Cassie sat apart from the others, and Starfire moved over to keep her company. The two spent some time chatting quietly, as Cassie told Starfire a bit about Gotham City. It sounded like a most terrible place, with crime and corruption everywhere. Starfire hoped that their business would be completed quickly.

Eventually, Starfire moved back to her own seat in order to allow her friend to rest for an hour or so before the plane landed. Over the intercom, the pilot announced that they would soon be able to see Gotham City from their windows. Starfire eagerly opened her screen and gaped at the view below her. Never in her life had she seen so crowded a city!

Tamaranian's had evolved from a species of plains predator, which had hunted the vast savannah's of their home world in small prides. That heritage had carried into their city design. Tameranian cities were vast, sprawling affairs, designed to give each family group a large amount of space and allow them to easily avoid others if they so wished. Indeed, the most crowded area of her home world was slightly LESS crowded than Jump City- with wide stretches of city land given over to parks and forests and grasslands in order to increase the sense of space. She had HEARD that Tokyo was much larger than Jump City but had not truly seen it for herself- the Titans adventure in that city had not allowed her the time to truly study it as deeply as she had hoped. But now, looking down at the tremendous sea of lights that was Gotham City, she was more than a little intimidated. She wondered how they would ever manage to find their friend among so many people.

She glanced over to Friend Raven, watching as the Empath's face contorted in sudden strain. She wondered what her friend, raised among the small and peaceful community of Azerath, made of this great hive of people.

Raven didn't need the pilot's announcement to know they were reaching Gotham City nor did she need to look out the window to know how vast it was- she could FEEL the city below her. She could feel the press of ten million minds against her mental walls, feel the ebb and flow of their feelings and emotions, and feel the psychic energy they gave off. Still, she hoped it wouldn't be more than she could handle, given some time to adapt- after all, though it was very different from Jump City (being so much larger), it was mostly a difference of degree, not of type.  
After the plane landed, and the Titans disembarked into the airport, the feeling abated a bit. She was able to quiet her mind enough to look around the airport, as Tim went to look for their ride. She browsed through the book shop, and was pleased to see that her favorite poet had put out a new collection. When she came out, having decided that she shouldn't buy it until she could give it the attention it deserved, she found Tim returning… with Alfred Pennyworth. She felt a small surge of happiness and ruthlessly forced it away. No matter how much she liked and admired the Englishman, for his wit and poise and aplomb, she couldn't afford to let her emotions get out of hand. There was simply too much at stake. Already, she had to struggle to keep Beastboy's plight from her conscious mind- she knew that if she allowed herself to dwell on what he must be suffering the results would be catastrophic, with her emotions raging out of control and her powers causing havoc all around her.

Alfred gave a sad smile as he approached the group. "Hello again" he said "I'm very glad to see you all again, although I wish it were under happier circumstances. If you will all follow me to the car, I will take you to the manor to rest. I believe Master Bruce will be prepared to begin work on your project this evening." He favored Raven with an especially sympathetic smile. "How are you bearing up Miss Raven? I know that the current situation is particularly hard on you."

Raven made herself smile back "I think I'll be all right, once we get this whole mess settled, thanks. Let's get going, shall we?"

Driving through the city was even worse than flying above it. Although Raven was able to keep out the individual thoughts and emotions of the city's inhabitants, the city as a whole had a mood all its own. This was normal, of course- any place with enough inhabitants invariably absorbs some of their strongest emotions. Jump City for example, had a prevailing mood of optimism and hope. But Gotham was different. The whole city had a negative feel to it- a strange mix of fear, despair and pride. It was as though the citizens were terrified and miserable in the city, yet fiercely proud of it at the same time. It made no sense to her, but little of what people felt ever did.

As they pulled away from the city proper and towards the wealthy area which held Wayne Manor, Raven let her mental shields drop. She was astounded by how drained she felt- the flight and the city had taken more out of her than she'd first thought. She slumped against the window and gazed outside at the numerous old-style mansions which filled this part of Gotham. Again, it was very different from Jump City- Jump had its share of mansions, certainly, but none of them had the same feel of age and solemn dignity which she could feel here. These were Old Money homes- many had been constructed before the Revolutionary War, and were often inhabited by families which had been wealthy for nearly as long. Even the newer buildings favored a restrained, old-world style unlike the wilder, more modern architecture of Jump. She looked across at Tim, and was surprised to see him staring excitedly out the window. Surely, she reasoned, he must be used to this by now?

Tim felt wonderful, better than he had in days. Ever since he'd learned of Beastboy's capture he'd felt lost, rudderless… helpless. His friend had been captured by a maniac, a bizarre crime wave was sweeping his city, his friends were worried, he had no real idea how to fix any of it and he was beginning to doubt his own abilities. Hadn't he let all of that happen? What kind of a leader- what kind of hero- was he? In his own mind, the answer seemed pretty obvious- a pretty poor one, that's what kind.

But now he was back on his home turf. No matter how long he lived in Jump City, it had never felt like home the way Gotham did. He was back in the place he knew best, and he could feel his confidence and energy returning- actually feel it, seeping up through the soles of his feet from the streets and stones of the city. He knew, now, that he and his friends would be all right. With Batman's help, they'd find Beastboy in a couple of days at the most, and then they'd go back to Jump City and solve this crime wave. Despite the jet lag, he felt ready to start the search immediately. He looked at the other Titans and saw their anxiety and weariness on their faces- even the normally cheerful Starfire looked nervous. He reached over and took her hand in his, smiling at her when she looked up.

After a time, the car pulled up to stately Wayne Manor. The place was positively dreary compared to its luxurious neighbors. Most of the mansion was dark, and the grounds were largely empty. Despite all that, Tim was glad to see the old place again. He was even more pleased to see his mentor standing outside the doors. When the car stopped just outside the main entrance, Bruce came down to greet them. Tim waited expectantly- the next few seconds would prove whether Batman truly accepted the Titans or not.

"Good, you're here" the older man said "Get settled and rest. Meeting in the Batcave in six hours. Be on time and be ready to move" With that, he turned and strode back into the house.

Starfire gulped. "I fear he is not pleased to see us. I do not think this a good omen for our quest "

Tim laughed "No, Star. That's about as friendly as Batman ever gets. If he had acted friendly and warm, it would mean he was putting on an act for outsiders. By letting you see the real him, he's telling us that he trusts and respects us. Come on, let's get settled in."

Alfred escorted the Titans to their rooms and helped them unpack. Each Titan was led to a different guest-room, some of which had stood empty for decades though all were immaculately clean. Soon, all the Titans except for Tim were sound asleep in their new beds- or in Cyborg's case, charging. As for Tim, he found himself a bit restless and, as was his habit when he lived in Wayne Manor, headed down to the kitchen for a cup of cocoa.

He was unsurprised to find Alfred Pennyworth hard at work, preparing supper for his new charges. As soon as Tim's foot crossed the threshold of the kitchen, the Englishman spoke without turning his back.

"Good Afternoon, Master Tim. Might I ask why you have not followed your mentor's sound advice and gone to sleep? You only have a few hours to recuperate from your journey."

"I will, Alfred, I will" Tim said. He didn't bother asking how Alfred had known it was him- from long experience he knew the only answer would be silence and a slightly smug look. Instead he moved to the cupboard and picked out a mug. "I guess I'm just a little keyed up to be back in Gotham I guess, plus I'm worried about Beastboy. You saw what a mess he was in Jump."

"Indeed" Alfred said, handing Tim the cocoa. "But you needn't worry; Master Bruce feels this matter warrants his full attention- in fact, he has spent the last few days looking for clues to the whereabouts of your friend and the Crane lunatic."

"That's good" Tim said, mixing his drink. He sat down at the small kitchen table and took a sip of his drink, feeling himself relax. "I can't help but worry, thoughj. I mean, who knows what kind of Hell Beastboy is experiencing right now."

* * *

Beastboy groaned and opened his eyes. His head was pounding, and his body felt stiff as a board. "Dude, what happened? The last thing I remember, that Strohmann dude had just picked me up from the hospital. He told the receptionist the Titans had sent him, but when we got to the gate he sprayed me with some kinda…gas…" His voice trailed off as his mind cleared and realization dawned. "Oh, don't tell me I've been kidnapped AGAIN! DUDE!"

His anger quickly gave way to apprehension as he realized how bad the situation was. He could feel the old panic welling up inside him, despite all the months of intensive therapy. Quickly, he tried to keep himself from panicking by examining his surroundings. Unlike the Joker's torture chamber/breakfast nook, this room was fastidiously clean and completely bare. There were four white walls, a bed, a toilet, a table and chair- and a door which he assumed was locked. Quickly, he found that he was unable to change shape- he guessed whoever had taken him had gotten their hands on some of the Joker's chemicals.

"Not a lot of originality" he said to the room at large, looking around for the cameras he knew must be there. "I mean, are you some kinda Joker wannabe or what?"

With a hiss, the door slid open, to admit a nondescript man in jeans and a shirt. He held a dinner tray, with a large salad and a steaming bowl of soup. The man set the tray down on the table and sat down on the cahir.  
"there ya go, kid" he said with a smile "The boss said you'd be hungry when you woke up. Not that I blame ya- I mean, sleeping for three days! I dunno what the boss gave ya, but it musta been strong stuff!"

"Three days?!" Beastboy exclaimed, making no move towards the food despite the rumbling in his stomach.

"That's what I said, kid." The man replied with a shrug. "You were out cold the whole time, didn't even stir when we brought ya all the way down here"

"All the way down here?" Beastboy echoed, trying to piece together what was happening.

The man looked around. "There's some kinda delayed echo in here. Yeah, down here. Your about three stories underground, which is why I'm here alone. Even if you did get by me…"

"...I still wouldn't be able to get out." Beastboy finished sourly. "So why are you here at all? I mean, it's not like I'm really an escape threat, is it?"

The man shrugged. "The boss said you didn't do so good alone. Said I should stick around here to make sure nothin' happens- leastways, not until he wants it to. Name's Charlie, by the way. You gonna eat your lunch or what?"

"Dude, come on" Beastboy said, rolling his eyes. "Drop the buddy-buddy act, okay? You're my jailer. I'm not eating anything you give me until you can prove it isn't poisoned or something."

Charlie shrugged. "I told ya, kid, ya been asleep for three days. If we wanted to poison ya, we wouldn't wait 'til you were awake. As for being friendly, the way I see it we're both stuck with each other. You ain't goin' nowhere until the boss says he's ready for you, and I can't exactly ask for a transfer or quit this job. So we might as well make the most of it."

Beastboy thought about this from all angles. He really was hungry, and if he was nice to Charlie, he might be able to get some information from him. He tried the food- the salad was good, fresh and crispy with a hint of vinegar. The soup wasn't bad- corn chowder with a little too much salt. When he finished, he wiped his mouth with his wrist. "So, Charlie, what do we do now?"

Charlie reached into a pocket and withdrew a deck of cards. "You know how to play?"

A/N  
Not quite what you were expecting, I'll bet.


	48. Chapter 48

Cyborg "awoke" after sunset, just as the clock struck eight pm, coming easily and quickly from a rather pleasant dream. He'd dreamt of a day, long ago, when his parents had taken him to the biggest amusement park in Metropolis as a special treat. He'd ridden the roller coasters, played bumper cars with his mom, and even beaten his dad at a ring toss game. The dream had been an almost perfect replay of that happy day- the only difference was that, instead of a five year old human, he'd been his current cybernetic self. As his systems began to cycle towards optimal, he wondered whether that was a good sign or not. Did it mean his subconscious was finally coming to terms with his new state, or did it mean he was losing his connection to Victor Stone and just becoming Cyborg? As his internal monitor flashed green on all his systems, he decided to lay the problem aside for now and just enjoy the feeling of warm nostalgia the dream had provoked.

Such pleasant feelings stood in sharp contrast to his room. Oh, it was nicely furnished and well situated, with a fine view of the mansion's grounds. But it felt completely sterile, as though no one had ever lived there before. Indeed, a quick sensor sweep indicated that the room had been empty for a very long time. Even the most careful and neat occupant leaves small traces of their presence in a room- fingerprints, skin flakes, and so on. The few traces Cyborg found were clearly those of Alfred Pennyworth, who clearly only came into the room periodically to dust. Cyborg felt more than a little weirded out by this, and decided to hurry off to meet his friends.

Exiting his room, Cyborg looked about the vast mansion as he made his way to the library to rendezvous with the other Titans. Everything was well-kept and tasteful, neither overly elegant nor seedy, yet it all had that same sterility he'd noticed in his room. Clearly, the huge house had stood empty for a long time, perhaps longer than he'd been alive. It gave the place a creepy, haunted feeling he didn't much care for- he'd be glad to return home to Titan's Tower as soon as possible. It might not be as luxurious as Wayne Manor, but it was much more comfortable and far homier than this mausoleum!

Reaching the library, he saw that Raven and Starfire shared his feelings. Starfire stood close to Robin, and kept glancing about the large room, clearly ill-at-ease. Raven was harder to read, but her pulse was up significantly and she was clearly straining to keep her emotions under control. He could only wonder how this tomb of a house felt to an empath, and made a mental note to ask her later. Robin on the other hand looked better than ever. He seemed more energetic and dynamic than he'd been since that night (almost half a year ago, now) when the Joker had made his Jump City debut on that quiz show. Cassie, too, seemed to be thriving in the strange environment. The normally stoic teenager was chatting idly with Alfred, who was dusting a bust of Shakespeare as they spoke. As he reached the group, Robin strode over to a large grandfather clock and fiddled with the hands. After a second, he opened the clock's door, revealing a narrow doorway and a set of stairs. Seeing Cyborg's surprise, the Boy Wonder explained that the 'clock' was actually part of the Batcave's security. In order to gain access, one had to set the hands to precisely - the exact time that Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered twenty five years before. Cyborg was impressed by this ingenious piece of security and resolved to adapt something similar to his safe back home. Robin had gained access to his plans far too easily, and he'd been racking his brains for some way to guard his privacy in future. This might just be the answer to his dilemma, and he made another mental note to give it serious thought later.

Robin lead the team down the long, dark stairway and into the massive caves which served as Batman's base of operations. Cyborg gazed around the cave with awe and not a little envy. He'd worked hard on the Tower, and had prided himself on its state of the art equipment, yet the facilities here put his work to shame. Everything here was bigger, better, and more cutting-edge than their own equipment, and he suspected that at least a few pieces were completely unique. He resolved to upgrade everything in the Tower as soon as possible.

Batman met them in the center of the cave, near the massive computers which formed the heart of the base. Without any preliminaries, he began to speak, his voice brisk and businesslike.

"Tonight we'll focus mainly on basic reconnaissance. I've decided that, before we can begin searching in earnest- you need to learn the basic layout of Gotham before we proceed further. You'll be working in teams of two, one Gothamite and one Jumper, and each team will have a patrol route and comm channel. Robin, you and Starfire will be team One- I want you to take patrol route oh-three-seven and set your communicator to band five nine point three. Raven and Batgirl will take route four-seven-five, and use band three eight point two. Cyborg and myself will take route oh-one-seven and we will use the prime communicator channel, band one zero. Remember, we are not searching deeply at this point, we..."

"Why not?" Raven asked, unable to contain her impatience. "Beastboy is in danger. We do not have time to play...silly..." The empath trailed off in the face of the Dark Knight's glare. Normally she wasn't one to back down, but the sheer intensity of that glare drained away her anger. The older hero stepped up to her and leaned down to look her straight in the eyes.

"Rule one: In my city, you follow my directions without questioning. Rule two: You do so immediately. Do. You. Understand." he said, his voice cold and hard and menacing. When Raven nodded, he spoke with slightly more warmth "I am fully aware of your friend's situation and we will find him as we can, but right now you are in no position to help us do so. You don't know this city, you don't know its players, and you don't know its rules. Tonight, you will learn these things and tomorrow we'll begin to search in earnest, with each of you running a separate patrol. Are there any questions?"

Robin stepped forward. "Batman, are you sure one night is enough? Gotham is a hard city to know, after all and..."

Batman turned to his one-time-sidekick and asked "Robin, do you have faith in your friend's abilities or not? They will learn in one night because we have no more time to waste. Now, let's go. Cyborg, meet me at the Batmobile in five minutes. The rest of you, fly into the city and begin your sweep. We'll meet back here at three thirty AM. Let's go."

Even as they flew into the city, Robin worried about the end of this patrol. Route 037 was a generalized sweep of Gotham City, as were all the other routes Batman had assigned tonight. They were designed to give the patroller a good overview of what was going on in the city as a whole and were what the Batclan used on those rare nights when random street crime was their highest priority. The choices had clearly been made to grant the Titans familiarity with the city as quickly as possible- not enough to really KNOW Gotham, but enough to give them a general feel. But 037 was special, not for what lay along the route, but for what lay at its end.

For her part, Starfire was greatly enjoying the evening so far. She was flying into the largest and busiest city in this country, with her Love cradled in her arms- it would be difficult indeed to imagine something that could ruin this moment for her. At Robin's direction she set them down atop a mid-sized building on the outskirts of Gotham City proper. Robin turned to her with a serious look on his face.

"We'll be moving quickly from here on, so do your best to keep up" he said, and withdrew a strange device from the back of his utility belt. Catching her curious gaze, he held it up and gave a wan smile. "Grappling gun- the traditional mode of transport for Gotham vigilantes. I don't use them much in Jump, since people there would notice holes punched into the masonry, but here in Gotham… Well, people don't ask as many questions. It'll let me move fast enough to complete our patrol on time. Shall we go?"

Starfire nodded and rose into the air. "We shall."

Starfire was enthralled by the city, though she had not expected to be. At first glance, Gotham seemed nowhere near as nice as Jump City. It was dirty, the very buildings blackened by soot and smoke. It smelled of garbage and pollution. There were many, many people who lived on the street, many more than in Jump. The noise was terrible, cars honking nonstop. Yet, despite it all, there was an energy and a charm to the city- the shop windows she saw were filled with wonderful things, and the sheer diversity of the city made her stare sometimes.  
The route took them through many different parts of the city, all of which were unlike anything she had seen before. The tightly packed business area, where she and Robin arrested two men breaking into a jewelry store. The waterfront, where tremendous ships loaded and unloaded cargoes from all over the world. A place Robin referred to as Broad Way (although it seemed no wider than the rest of the city) which was full of lights and where delightful music drifted from every window and door. Robin promised to take her back here some time to see a 'musical' (whatever that was) so that she could "have the real Broad Way experience".

From the bright lights and happiness of Broad Way, they moved on to a place called Crime Alley. It was as though someone had taken everything terrible and frightening about Gotham City, mixed it all together, condensed it and then doubled it to create the worst piece of cityscape she had ever imagined. Filth and garbage were everywhere, and more than once she saw men (and a few women) wandering down the street, clearly under the influence of some Earthly narcotic. The first time she saw such, she asked Robin if they were to arrest him, fully expecting him to lead the way. Instead he had simply sighed and shook his head. He told her that arresting the man would do no good, and be a waste of their time- that in the time it took to arrest him another, more violent crime could take place.

The rest of the patrol was in a similar vein, bright spots of glamour and beauty alongside hideous urban blight. As the patrol reached its end, Starfire noticed that Robin was becoming more and more tense. For most of the patrol, he had used the grappling g gun to perform fantastic mid-air acrobatics- she suspected he was doing what humans called 'the showing off' for her. But, as they neared the final checkpoint, that stopped- instead, he simply swung from one building to the next. His muscles were tense as well (not that she had been staring) and he had become very quiet. All he would say when she asked was "You'll see soon enough"

Eventually, they reached the end of their route- a small field, dotted with strangely shaped stones. Some of these stones were shaped like their home Tower, while others were half-ovals. All had writing on them- a name, and two dates. She was most curious about this; did humans give these stones names? Or perhaps they had some mystical meaning.

Robin felt his usual welling of emotion when they reached Saint Eustace Cemetary. His parents were buried here, as was their killer. But he knew that wasn't why Batman had sent him here. As he mentally prepared himself to face what he knew was coming, he saw Starfire looking around curiously. With a start, he realized she had never seen a graveyard before. Quickly, he explained where they were and how solemn behavior was expected. Starfire seemed unfazed by the thought of being in a cemetery which puzzled Robin for a moment. Then he remembered that in her life Starfire had probably seen hundreds of deaths and thousands of corpses. Sometimes, it really was all too easy to forget that she was one of a race of warriors. With a sigh, Robin put that out of his mind and continued with her mental preparations for what lay ahead.

Starfire was puzzled by the reverence with humans treated their dead. Tameranians regarded the body of the deceased as trash- a once useful object whose purpose was now concluded. She had assumed that humans would feel the same way; it was not as though the dead cared what was done to their bodies, after all. Still, she resolved to behave as expected here, and not offend Terran customs. She followed Robin as they slowly made their way through the mass of memorials, until they reached one stone set apart from the others. Robin stopped and stared at it; curious she leaned forward to examine it.

"Stephanie Brown; Valued Friend, Lover, and Partner." Starfire gasped. "Robin! Is this...?"

Robin nodded, miserably. "Yeah, this… this is where she…. This is her, Starfire." Robin reached up and removed his mask. Tears shone in his eyes as he looked on the grave of a vibrant young girl who he'd once loved. Starfire wanted to go to his side, to wipe away his tears and to tell him that all would be wee, but she knew that this was a private time for him.

"Steph…" Tim said, his voice cracking with emotion. "I can't…I can't tell you how… what you meant to me. You were just so… so LIGHT and happy, despite your father and all the other horrible things that happened. You never let it get you down and you were always there for me. When you died, I wanted to kill Black Mask- as much as I wanted to kill Captain Boomerang after my Dad's death. I loved you... I still love you… but I- I don't think we were ever IN LOVE, Steph. We got along well and we were attracted to each other and.. I guess we thought those things meant we were in love, for awhile. But, at the end, I think… I think we both knew it was over, really."

Tim took a deep breath, and gave a weak smile. "I've found out what real love is, Steph. I think you'd like her- she's just as sweet and happy as you are. Y- You always did tell me I was too dark and… what was it… Bat-ish? I'm happy…" his voice trailed off in wonder, and when he spoke again his voice was firmer, more certain. "I'm happy. I hope, I hope you're happy too, Steph, you really deserve it. G-goodbye."

Time turned, and replaced his mask. He looked up at Starrfire and smiled. He felt as though a great weight had been lifted from him, one that had been with him for so long that he'd forgotten it was there at all. "I love you, Star. I want you to know that in case… in case something happens here in Gotham."

Starfire nodded and took her boyfriends hand. Together they walked out of the graveyard, and headed back to Wayne Manor.

A/N

I've heard that some fanfiction sites hold contests for writers. Doe s anyone know of any for Titans fiction? I think this story (and its predecessor) could be winners. Send it to me via private message.


	49. Chapter 49

Cyborg had not been enthusiastic about his patrol with Batman. By all accounts, the caped crusader was a serious man with exacting standards and little patience for mistakes or silliness. Certainly he had been completely silent as he prepared for their patrol, checking his utility belt and communicator. Cyborg had waited nervously, anxious not to start off on the wrong foot by saying the wrong thing. The entire night looked to be an exercise in awkward silence… until he set eyes on the Batmobile.

Cyborg had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life. From it's proud black chassis, to its sleek rear fin, to its powerful jet engine, it was a vehicle that screamed power, control and speed. Even the T-car, his BABY, paled in comparison. And he was going to be riding it. Tonight.

Off to one side, Batman rechecked his supply of smoke grenades and batarangs before turning to Cyborg. He found his temporary partner staring in undisguised awe at the Batmobile and gave a small smile. Something about the sight warmed his heart- Victor looked like a little boy on Christmas morning, awakening to discover a BIG present underneath the tree. Silently he moved up beside the metal boy and tapped him on the shoulder gently.

"Come on" he said "We have a lot of ground to cover."

Pressing a button on his wrist-mounted control pad, Batman slid the roof of the Batmobile open, allowing them to enter. Cyborg was surprised- he'd expected the interior of this fantastic car to be full of instruments and gadgets, their bright lights filling the car with a multicolored glow. Instead, he found the interior to be fairly nondescript- the only signs of the car's unusual nature was a bank of buttons and gauges, all very subdued, which lined the dashboard.

Batman cleared his throat, pulling Cyborg's attention away from the car. "Victor, I understand you have an eidetic memory, correct?"

"Huh? Oh, well, kind of" Cyborg reached up and tapped his cybernetic eye. "My retina-camera can send all received data directly to my short or long-term memory, meaning I can record all the things I see for a certain amount of time. But it isn't perfected yet."

Batman frowned. "Explain."

"Well, there're a couple of big problems related to the nature of memory- both human and computer." Cyborg replied. Unconsciously, his tone changed becoming very similar to his father's lecture voice. "On the human side, the brain is designed to either comprehend or memorize. Basically, all my attention goes into storing the data with none left over to actually understand it. The process gives me perfect recall but virtually zero comprehension- kinda like a court stenographer. Later on, I can study the footage but I can only do that the normal, human way which means that there really isn't any gain in efficiency. On the mechanical side, even a system as advanced as mine can only hold so much data. My short term memory can hold about two hour's worth of 'footage', and my long-term can hold about five. Either way, though, it takes up a LOT of space- either shunting aside other memories or dumping them altogether."

Batman grunted and pressed a button, starting the jet engine which powered the Batmobile. "That's disappointing. I was hoping to make you familiar with all of Gotham, rather than just the trouble spots. You would have been able to help your team mates navigate the city after tonight."

Cyborg brightened. "Oh, I already thought of that! I've uploaded a map of Gotham- it's much smaller than a video file would be- and linked my personal GPS to it in order to plot our course. With your permission, I could link up with your main computer and upload your normal patrol routes into my systems."

Batman nodded, liking the way the young man thought. "Is there any reason you couldn't do the same with your team communicators? Turn them into miniature GPS-Mapping devices?"

Cyborg scratched his chin. "I don't know- it all comes back to memory, y'see. I could upload a patrol route or two, but I doubt they could hold much more than that. If we were willing to-"

Batman hushed him and turned up volume on the police radio. "-ars, robbery in progress 24th and Morningside. Suspects are heavily armed and have taken hostages inside the jewelers. All officers, report to 24th and Morningside..."

"Change of plans, kid" Batman said, as he turned the car in the direction of the robbery. Victor gulped.

The street was still largely deserted by the time the Batmobile roared up outside the jewelers. Cyborg was surprised- he'd heard that the GCPD had its problems, but he'd assumed they'd be on the ball enough to respond to a hostage crisis. Batman stopped the car next to the single police car parked outside the store. The two officers, a pretty Latino woman and a fat slob of a detective, seemed unfazed by the sudden arrival of the city's legendary hero. Batman exited the car but motioned for Victor to stay where he was, at the same time triggering his comm unit so Cyborg would be able to hear what was said.

The big cop turned to Batman with an odd expression on his face. It seemed to be a combination smile and sneer- Cyborg privately named it a Snile. "Well, well look who's finally here. What kept ya Bats? Cape get caught in the door?"

"Bullock" Batman replied levelly "Montoya. Why are you two here alone?"

"The hostage-takers were very clear- no more than one patrol car in the area, period. No helicopters, no media, no nothing or the hostages die." Montoya said, her voice and accent pleasant. "They're demanding safe passage to Chechnya for themselves and the hostages, as well as all the jewels they've stolen. We think they're terrorists, who tried to rob the store for funds but took hostages when the alarm went off. I don't know how they're-"

She was interrupted by the ringing of a nearby public teephone. Bullock moved to answer it. "Bullock here. Yeah, he's- No, we aren't up to anything. He heard what was going on and- Look I can't just tell him to... Why? Take a good look at 'im. You see a badge? No? That's why I can't." Bullock grimaced and held the phone away from his ear for a second. "Okay, okay, just calm down. Nobody wants to do anything hasty here, right? I'll tell 'im. Bye" Bullock hung up the phone and glowered at it before stepping back over to Batman and his partner.

"They know you're here, Bats. They say either you're gone in one minute or they start shooting. The leader told me to tell you that they've got people watching all sides of the building- you try anything sneaky and they'll know."

"That's what they think" Batman said as he turned back to his car. Getting in, he turned on the engine before speaking to Cyborg. "I'm going to assume that infiltration isn't a specialty of yours, correct?"

"Uh, well-" Cyborg temporized, not wanting to appear useless.

"I thought not" Batman said, his eyes never leaving the road. "Does your cannon have a setting that's safe for use on regular humans?"

"Yeah, it's a sonic cannon, not a laser. It uses sound waves, not energy or heat. Normally, the sonic force is about equivalent to a shotgun blast, but I can dial it down to the force of a punch to the face."

"Good. We're going to park about a block away from the store and head back on foot. I'll enter the building and deal with the hostage takers. I want you to find a good vantage point and pick off any who try to escape."

Cyborg was puzzled. "Isn't that kinda risky? I mean, we don't know where the hostages are, or the layout of the building, or even what kinda weapons they've got."

In response, Batman stopped the car and got out. The pair made their way to the roof of a building just behind the jewelers. There, Batman reached into a pouch of his belt and pulled out a strange device. It looked a bit like a set of binoculars, the compact sort with a hinge in the middle. Yet it was bulkier and heavier. He offered it to Cyborg without a word. The metal man placed it to his eyes and gasped in astonishment. The walls of the building became transparent, and he could see almost a dozen blue-white skeletons moving through it. He touched a button at random and the view zoomed in on one skeleton. A small screen appeared in the lower-right corner of his view. In it, he could see the target's heart-rate, and what he was armed with. Pulling the goggles away, he handed them back to the Dark Knight with a look of awe on his face,

"Experimental spy –ware" Batman said as he took the device and began to scan the building. "They work on a combination of x-rays, sonar and thermal-imaging technology. If you like, I can send some to your Tower when this is all done. " A few moments passed in silence, thn Batman snapped the goggles closed gave them to Cyborg before he began rechecking his gear. "I'll enter through the rooftop airvent- I recommend you stay here. This rooftop gives a good vantage point and a clear view of the main rear exit. Watch the gunmen through the goggles, and pick off any who try to escape."

Content that his orders had been received, Batman fired off a grappling-line to the jewelers building. Cyborg wasa bit put out by this- he wasn't used to just being given orders, and certainly not by someone who he'd just met. It was as though Batman didn't believe anyone would disagree with his plans, and just naturally assumed they'd follow them. Part of him wanted nothing more than to call the Dark Knight on this and tell him he wasn't following this plan because…

Well, that was the problem. For all of Batman's seeming arrogance and rudeness, it was a very good plan. It capitalized on their respective strengths and seemed to voer all contingencies. Most importantly, however, it appeared to be working.

Looking into the building, Cyborg could see the vigilante sneaking through the corridors, ambushing lone criminals in total silence. He used batarangs and smoke bombs to split up groups and create distractions. Within a few minutes, more than three quarters of the criminals were down, and the others were milling around in confusion. Two apparently decided to confront their mysterious assailant head-on, grabbing their guns and setting off back-to-back. The other two grabbed a hostage each and headed for the back door. Cyborg lowered the goggles and got ready to act.  
When the two gunmen emerged from the jewelers, it was plain to see that they were extremely frightened. They walked in a jerky fashion, they kept their weapons pressed against their hostages and they constantly scanned the area. Cyborg performed some quick calculations and then quietly pried a small piece of stone from the roof. Threw it at one gunman, carefully moderating the amount of force so that his makeshift projectile wouldn't kill the man. At the same time he readied his arm cannon and, at exactly the right moment, fired a short blast at the second kidnapper. Both the beam and the stone hit their target at the same time, sending both men to the ground. Cyborg leapt from his perch and rushed to the hostages. As he finished checking them for injury, he noticed a shadow behind him. Turning around, he saw Batman checking the injuries of the hostage-takers.

The older hero nodded and turned to Cyborg. "I've already secured the ones inside, and alerted Montoya and Bullock. Let's resume our patrol."

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of Gotham, Raven and Cassie passed over the Northern end of Gotham's Chinatown. Unlike the other Titans, Raven wasn't terribly impressed with Gotham City so far- it was bigger than Jump, and noisier, but to her mind these were far from good things. More people meant more pressure- more voices, thoughts and emotions pressing against her mental barriers. More noise meant it was harder for her to concentrate on reinforcing those barriers, at a time when she was already distraught over the loss of her boyfriend. She hated Wayne Manor- the emotionally sterile environment just felt chillingly wrong to her empathic senses. She was uncomfortable around Batman for much the same reason. The man was so rigidly self-controlled that he seemed to give off no emotions at all- it creeped her out and made her wonder whether other empaths might not feel the same way about her.

More than that, though, this patrol seemed to her like a colossal waste of time. They didn't really need to 'familiarize' themselves with Gotham City, since she didn't intend to stay one second longer than absolutely necessary. Surely a set of maps would have been enough to let them navigate the city. So why was Batman delaying their search for Beastboy? Did he not think they could handle the Scarecrow?

At least Batgirl was happy to be patrolling Gotham, Raven thought with amusement. The quiet girl radiated comfort and pleasure as they traveled above Gotham City, clearly glad to be home. She took great pleasure in giving Raven background information about the various parts of the city they passed through- which gangs were present, what were the potential targets, which businesses might appeal to the Rogues, and so forth. Despite the deep level of detail, Raven couldn't bring herself to cut it short- it might prove useful, after all, and besides, Batgirl was so obviously proud of her city. They set a fairly good pace in their patrol, until Cassie stopped at a nondescript, four story building and called for a break. To Raven's surprise, the masked girl scrabbled down a nearby fire escape and opened a window on the top floor. Beckoning Raven to follow, Batgirl entered the darkened apartment and opened a light- bewildered, Raven followed.

The small apartment was almost completely bare of furniture. In one corner of the living room was a small, brown sofa. In front of it was a small television on top of a coffee table. The kitchen contained the standard amenities (refrigerator, microwave, and so forth) as well as a table with exactly one chair. The walls were plain white with no posters, paintings, or photographs. The floors were plain wood, in good condition if somewhat dusty. There was an odd smell in the air, one which Raven couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Batgirl why are we here?" the empath asked.

To her shock, Batgirl took off her mask and smiled broadly. "This is my home. Wanted to see it. Been away for so long. Hungry?"

Raven nodded. Batgirl- Cassie- moved to the kitchen and opened up the fridge. The smell in the apartment became a stench, and both girls moved to cover their noses. The refrigerator was mostly empty, except for a hunk of cheese and a cardboard box. Reaching in, Raven took the cheese and banged it experimentally agaist the table, stopping when the wood began to crack. Cassie took out the carton and held it nervously before opening it- ad closing it quickly, when the stench made her eyes water.

"Cassie, what IS that?" Raven choked out.

"Was General Tso Chicken" Cassie said, coughing "Been in there for almost five months now."

Just then the pair heard a voice coming from street level. "All right, bitch! Hand over your wallet. NOW!"  
Looking out the window, they saw a scruffy man pointing a gun at a middle-aged woman. Cassie lifted the carton of expired food and, leaning out, dropped it over the side of the fire escape. It landed on target with a loud splattering sound.

"Jesus! AUGH! WH-WHAT THE HELL IS THIS STUFF?! AW CHRIST, IT'S IN MY EYES!"

Without looking up, Cassie motioned with her hand for Raven to hand her the cheese. Raven did so, and a moment later it landed on the mugger.

CLONK! "Unh…" the mugger slowly collapsed to the ground, his pistol sliding from nerveless fingers. Unable to believe her good luck, the woman bolted into the night.

"Downed by expired food" Raven droned "Somehow I doubt that will win him much respect in prison."

"On bright side" Cassie replied, grinning impishly "No one going to touch him tonight. Stinky."

A/N

First up, my thanks to Known Unknown for a very flattering review on TVTropes. Although, I was surprised to find Joker's Wild listed again under Dark Fic. I never considered it to be dark. Certainly, it dealt with dark topics, but I thought the liberal use of humor lightened it. Oh well. Thanks again.

Second, don't expect to see too much of Batman in this fic. It's really hard for me to include him without having him become the central focus of the story- I faced the same problem in Joker's Wild, to be honest. NO, he's not being a jerk to Cyborg- he's just being Batman.

Finally, the special goggles Batman uses are based off the Predator Mode in Batman: Arkham Asylum. Everyone go get a copy of this game ASAP so they'll be encouraged to make a sequel.


	50. Chapter 50

_"...but Karen, darling, where can we go? Your father is sure to send his men after us, especially now that we have the map for his avocado groves!"_

_"Oh, John! I don't care where we go, so long as we're together! Besides, Daddy will be far too busy trying to save my long-lost twin sister from those kidnappers to worry about the hidden gold!"_

_"Karen, I love you- my heart burns with the fire of a thousand suns, a great flame of love which no water or antacid can quench! But, we cannot be together! For I have... AMNESIA!"_

"I think" Beastboy said, in tones of great solemnity "that this may be the stupidest movie I've ever seen. And that's really saying something, let me tell you."

"Were you really expecting anything better?" Charlie replied, reaching for a handful of popcorn from the bright yellow bowl. "It's called Remains of the Tears of the Afternoon, for Christ's sake."

"Expecting, no. Hoping, yes" Beastboy retorted.

The two were seated on a couch in front of a television, resting their feet on the new coffee table. Some time ago, Charlie and a few of the other guards had brought extra furnishings to Beastboy's quarters, including the TV, couch, table and a videogame system. That was fine and good- despite conversation and card games with his captors, the green boy had been growing very very bored. No, what troubled Beastboy was that he had no idea how long ago it had been. There were no windows here, no clocks, no calendars- nothing that might give the boy a sense of time's passage. He wasn't sure, but he suspected that his guards/companions constantly shifted their rotations to keep him further off-balance. It didn't really matter, though, as Beastboy knew exactly how long he'd been stuck in this comfortable cell.

Too damn long.

Too long away from his home. Too long away from his own bed. Too long locked away from the sunshine and fresh air. Too long spent looking at the same white walls. Too long apart from his friends, his family... his Raven. Yeah, that was definitely the worst part of all- he'd been separated from Raven for much too long, and he missed her so fiercely it frightened him a little. When he ate, he thought of the delicate way she picked at her food when they went out. When he listened to music, he recalled the hesitant way she danced- as though even that much self-expression could be dangerous. When he watched TV, he remembered the way she would always pretend to ignore the television, but would always watch out of the corner of her eye. When he dreamed, he dreamed of her.

He knew that, in part, this was just a reaction to his captivity. That his mind, torn from everything it knew as normal and routine, had latched onto elements of his past to cling to. But he also knew that part of it was... love. It was almost scary- they'd barely been together a few months, yet she never seemed to leave his thoughts. Gradually, over (days? weeks?) it dawned on him that he might never see her again. He couldn't bear the thought of that. He WOULDN'T let that happen.

All of that was true, but it didn't make what he was going to do any more palatable.

In a burst of motion, he reached out and grabbed Charlie by the front of his shirt, yanking the older man down hard to smash his face into the coffee table, over and over again until Charlie passed out, whereupon Beastboy adjusted his head so the poor man wouldn't choke. Leaping over the back of the couch, the green teen raced for the door. As he'd expected, it was unlocked- apparently, having deprived him of his superpowers, his captors felt just placing guards would be enough to hold him.

As he left the room, Beastboy stopped to take in his surroundings. The air here was stale, which supported his theory that he was underground. Although he'd lost his shape shifting abilities, his senses remained as good as ever, and he was able to detect a faint draft of fresh air wafting down the corridor.

'Fresh air means an exit' he though, as he followed the scent down 'With any luck, I'll be able to follow this scent right out of here!'

Following his nose, the green boy ran through the labyrinthian corridors, stopping occasionally to make sure the scent was still strong. Eventually, his nose led him to an elevator. Beastboy stopped to consider- on the one hand, he hadn't heard any alarms yet. It was just possible that his captor (or captors) hadn't spotted his escape yet. The elevator was likely the first place any pursuers would want to secure. Beyond that, he still remembered his hellish experience at Arkham Asylum, and had no wish to repeat them here. Lastly, an elevator is for all intents and purposes a cage- once the door closes there is no way out until they open, making it a perfect place to trap a fleeing prisoner. The changeling was about to turn away and find another route when he remembered something Robin had once told them. "Always remember that if you take the road your enemy doesn't see, you've already won".

Smiling, Beastboy opened the elevator doors. Glancing at the panels, he saw that the buttons were labeled -3, -2, -1, 0, G, and 1. On a hunch, Beastboy pressed -2 and was gratified to feel the elevator begin to descend. He'd guessed that, since he had been able to smell fresh air, he couldn't possibly be further than one story underground and clearly he'd been right. While the elevator moved, Beastboy reached up and very carefully opened the emergency exit hatch on the ceiling. When the elevator reached its destination, he kicked in the control panel (just to make sure the thing stayed on this floor) and clambered up onto the roof before beginning the long climb up the main cable. The cable was greasy and dirty and more than once he thought he was going to fall to his death, but years of training and experience came to his aid and eventually, the green boy found himself on what he guessed to be the ground floor of the building. Sliding his fingers between the elevator doors, he slowly forced them apart...

...revealing two guards standing in front of the doors, guns trained on him. Neither looked particularly angry, which he took to be a hopeful sign.

"Up the elevator shaft, eh?" One guard said, a smile on his face. "I said from the start you were a spunky one, didn't I Jimmy?"

"You sure did Joey." replied his companion "Now come on, spunky- back to your room."

The guards took their captive down a flight of stairs and back to his cell. Idly, Beastboy considered making a break for it- everything he'd seen up until now led him to believe that his captor wanted him alive, so the guards wouldn't shoot to kill. Probably. He decided against it, though- they'd undoubtedly be ready for a second escape attempt, and he didn't feel up to any more pointless gestures. When they reached his cell, Beastboy moved to the sofa and sat down, his mood black. Clearly, escape wasn't an option, and probably wouldn't be for a long time.

After a time, the door opened and Charlie walked in, a thick bandage wrapped around his head. Without a word, he moved to the chair and sat down, not saying anything. Beastboy noticed that small spots of red stained the bandage and felt like a real jerk- Charlie had never been anything but good to him and he'd repaid that kindness with a head injury.

As if sensing the green boy's guilt, Charlie spoke up. "Y'know, when I first came to after your little escape, I was pissed as all hell. I mean, I'd treated you nice, got you good food and nice stuff for your room. An' the first chance you get you damn near bash my head in and run for it. D'you know what the boss would've done to me if you'd actually managed to escape on my watch?"

Beastboy winced; he could make a fair guess. Super villains weren't known for their forgiving natures after all.

"But after a few hours" Charlie went on "I got to thinking. If I were in your place, I might've done the same thing. So really, how mad could I be, y'know? About the escape, I mean- I'm still pissed at your for nearly breaking my skull. But, my momma always said it was better to forgive. So, I'm gonna pretend that this whole thing didn't happen."

"Really?" Beastboy said, perking up a bit.

"Yeah, life's too short y'know? But from now on I ain't gonna be guarding you alone." As Charlie spoke, the door opened again and two new guards came in. One was a tall, muscular man in his late thirties, the other a skinny black kid a little younger than Beastboy himself. "Tony and Sid'll be joining us from now on. On the upside though, now we go enough people for a game of poker. What do you say?"

"What do I say?" Beastboy sighed "I say: Deal me in."

* * *

Back in Gotham, the Titans arrived back at Wayne Manor at three thirty precisely. Robin and Batgirl had both hurried their partners along, stressing that under no circumstances did you keep Batman waiting. Batman and Cyborg, of course, had arrived five minutes before, and were currently engaged in refueling the Batmobile and typing up the night's report (respectively). Seeing the other Titans arrive, Batman closed the Batmobile's fuel intake and greeted them with a nod. "Report" he said, his tone all business.

Briefly, Robin and Batgirl summarized the events of the night, leaving nothing out. Batman nodded solemnly when Robin described his visit to Spoiler's grave, and grunted what might possibly have been a suppressed laugh as Cassie recounted how she had captured a mugger using only stale cheese and spoiled Chinese food. "Good work, all of you" Batman said when they'd finished. "Type up your report and then get to bed. Lunch will be served at noon- Alfred informs me that your presence is nonoptional. After lunch, we'll confer with the other members of my team and plan our search for your friend before beginning the days training."

With that, the Dark Knight headed upstairs for his own rest, followed by Cyborg.

Raven and Cassie quickly entered their reports into the Batcomputer, before going their separate ways. Raven headed to an isolated corner of the Batcave to meditate before bed. The Manor was completely unsuitable for this - never in her life had Raven been in a place so completely devoid of warmth or life. The only traces of emotion she could feel were loss, grief and rage, none of which were conducive to proper meditation. In contrast, the Batcave resonated with the emotions of focus, drive, and determination- perfect for her needs. Cassie, meanwhile, headed back to her apartment and her own lovely bed.

Robin had soon finished his report, but remained in the cave to go through some simple cool-down exercises. Unlike the others, he'd relied on muscle-power to carry him across the city. A few years ago, such a trip would have been purely routine for him. But years in Jump City, where he'd relied on cars and motorcycles for transport, had come with a price- his muscles were aching fiercely, and he knew that the only way he'd be of any use to anyone tomorrow was if he slowly cooled himself down. So he took a few minutes for pushups, sit-ups, squats and stretches.

Starfire, meanwhile, decided to check her electronic mail. There were the usual letters from strange people she did not know, making her offers she did not understand. There was another one from that poor princess from Nigeria, asking for her aid once more. Starfire did not know why the poor girl continued to write her for money; she had already explained that she had neither bank account nor social security number, but had offered her help if a fellow princess requested it. It was puzzling. After deleting that and several other strange letters, she found a letter from someone she had hoped to hear from.

"Oh! Tim!" She squealed happily "It is from Friend Kate! She is writing to tell us how she and her team are doing in Jump City!"

Tim smiled, pleased to hear his girlfriend so happy. "Well, what does she say, Star?'

Starfire scanned the letter quickly. "She says that she and Fang are doing well, and have found the Tower to be much to their liking. It appears, too, that they are no longer the only romantic pair on the team- Captain Marvel Junior has asked Jinx to begin the dating with him. Kate says they are very cute together, and that they remind her of you and I. She says, too, that she believes Superboy and Stargirl will also soon begin the dating, though she does not believe they will be as good together. Hmmm... There has been another strange robbery in Jump City. Last night, a shipment of titanium plating was stolen from an industrial warehouse, before the Titans North could arrive to stop it. Kate believes it is connected with the robberies we investigated before, but states that the police are not as certain. She wishes us good luck in our search for Beastboy and hopes that we will return home safely and soon."

Tim grunted as he twisted his body into a difficult stretch, feeling the tension in his abused muscles slowly leech away. "Huh. Captain Marvel Junior and Jinx, huh? It's kinda weird, but I think that might work. I wonder how Cyborg will take it though?"

"I feel he will accept it- he and Jinx were never truly together, and he was not hurt when she began to date with Kid Flash." Starfire paused, unsure whether to ask her next question. "Tim, will Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson be at lunch tomorrow?"

Tim nodded as he stretched out his right leg as far as he could. "I expect so- tomorrow is Sunday and Dick will never pass up an excuse to enjoy Alfred's Sunday Lunch. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I am sure it is nothing. It is just... I do not think that they like me very much, Tim" Starfire confessed uneasily "When first we met them, they were polite and friendly to all of us, except myself. Alfred has told me that they do not mention me, even when discussing the Titans as a whole."

Tim rose from the cave floor and smiled as he took her hands in his. "I'm sure it's just your imagination, Star. Babs is the sweetest woman in Gotham, and Dick is the friendliest guy I know. They'd never hate you. Even if they do, I'll take care of it. Okay?"

Starfire smiled hugely. "Very well, I shall go to take my rest. Pleasant Slorvax, Boyfriend Tim, and dreams of much sweetness"

Tim yawned and sank back down to the floor. "G'night, Star. I'll finish up my routine before I go to bed."

A/N  
Fifty Chapters. More than one hundred thousand words. A year and a half of writing. Almost four hundred reviews.

Wow.

So what can you expect in the future? Twists, turns, pathos, comedy. An explanation for Slade's motives. Confrontations with several Gotham Rogues. A return to Beastboy's mindscape. Heartbreak. Romance. Shaved heads. Sex romps. Felonies. The usual, really.

Sorry this chapter took so long. Life's gotten a bit crazy. Emperor willing, I'll be able to update a bit faster from now on.


	51. Chapter 51

Cassie's internal alarm woke her at nine o'clock in the morning and she bounded from her small, narrow bed to begin her day. She felt more rested than she had in a number of months- Titan's Tower was a nice place but the beds there were far too big and too soft. If she went back to Jump City, she would have to remember to bring her own bed or buy a suitable replacement. She took a few moments to stretch properly before leaving her bedroom in search of a shower and some breakfast. She hummed to herself as she padded across the small, spare apartment to the bathroom- it was so nice to be home again. She slipped into her tiny shower stall and turned on the water. As usual, the initial stream was ice-cold and took a moment to warm up, but that just helped her to wake up. When she'd finished her shower, she headed to her tiny kitchen to find breakfast.

As she had noticed the previous night, most of the food in her refrigerator had spoiled months ago, while her dry goods were covered in varying types of mold. That left the canned goods. Cassie had begun her life in Gotham in the wake of the great earthquake which had transformed the city into a No Man's Land, an experience which had taught her the value of nonperishable foods. As a result, there was quite a lot to choose from in her cupboard. Eventually, the vigilante settled on a can of peaches in light syrup. Eating quickly, Cassie stuffed her uniform into a small knapsack and headed out the door towards the bus stop. This being Gotham City, the bus was late, so the silent girl spent the time analyzing the body language of the other people at the stop. Here was a businessman, fidgeting nervously as he contemplated this morning's big meeting with his boss- she could tell by the way he kept touching his briefcase and straightening his tie, all while in a pose of submission to authority. There was a pregnant woman concerned about how to tell her husband the child wasn't his- the way she toyed with her wedding ring and glanced around gave her away.

When the bus arrived, Cassie handed the driver her fare and asked him to let her off at The Seven Stars Mall. Then she settled into a seat and entered a light meditative state- deep enough to ignore her fellow passengers, but not so deep as to miss her stop. After about an hour of driving, the driver called out her stop, and the silent girl stepped off the bus and into the mid-morning sunshine- after so many months in California's heat and humidity, she'd almost forgotten how pleasant early summer in Gotham was. She walked into the mall and headed straight for the maintenance area where she paused before a small and unremarkable door. After checking to make sure no one was watching, Cassie took a small key from her pocket and unlocked the door, revealing a dim corridor. After a bit of walking, the corridor gave way to natural caverns.

Years before, Wayne Enterprises had constructed the Seven Stars Shopping mall, ostensibly as an investment. Located only a few miles from Gotham's wealthiest neighborhoods, the Seven Stars Mall housed a relatively small selection of extremely up market stores, catering almost exclusively to the wealthy. It had done quite well over the years, maintaining a small but significant profit- a fact which had mildly surprised Batman, since he had not had profit in mind. Instead, Batman had constructed the mall for one reason only- to give him and his allies an alternate method of reaching the Batcave. He'd added a small passageway to the mall's blueprints, one which opened onto the system of caves and caverns which lay under the area, and of which the Batcave was a part. He'd sub-contracted this work to a small construction firm which he knew had ties to the mob, and once the work was completed he'd arrested the workers- thereby ensuring that anything they had to say about caves and secret passages was regarded with suspicion. Now, this underground passage lead Cassie to the Batcave, where she found Raven seated before the Batcomputer.

Cassie very deliberately kicked a stone against the wall, causing a loud clatter to echo through the cave. Raven turned and greeted her with a nod before gesturing for her to approach. On the main screen was a map of Gotham City, with certain locations marked with stars. After moment of study, Cassie recognized all the starred locations as former hideouts of the Scarecrow, and immediately knew what was happening.

"Been here all night?" she asked.

"No, I just-" Raven paused to yawn hugely. "I just couldn't stay asleep, I guess. I woke up around seven o'clock just as I do back home, and couldn't get back to sleep. I decided to come back down here and research the Scarecrow. I tried to come up with some ideas about where we should look for him first. Gar- Gar's probably not doing well right now, is he?"

"No. Crane's a monster." Cassie replied, knowing that the empath wanted the truth. "But Garfield is tough. Think he'll be all right, in the end. This time, though, we take him straight to doctor."

Raven nodded and yawned again. "I'm just so worried about him, Cass. It scares me, a little, how much he means to me now."

Cassie took Raven's arm and helped her from the chair. "You need rest. Batman's going to push hard today. Take a nap in the medical bay. Very comfy. Lunch not for another hour."

The empath nodded again and staggered away sleepily. "That sounds like a good idea, Cassie."

After settling Raven into the medical bay's bed, Cassie returned to the Batcomputer and began to review what Raven had done so far. The dark girl had begun by examining the various hideouts Crane had used in the past and marked them on the map. Then, she had opened a separate file and begun a list of characteristics shared by all the lairs- isolation, large amounts of space, good ventilation (a must for those producing toxins in large amounts), and a defensible layout. Raven had then returned to the map, most likely to find other locations which met these requirements.

Cassie was pleased to see her friend directing her grief towards positive ends. The trouble was that it was likely to be ineffective. While many of Batman's enemies seemed to be incapable of learning from their mistakes, whether due to insanity or stupidity, Crane was not one of them. Having captured one of the Titans, he would assume that the others would come after him, and no doubt take special precautions. Therefore, it was unlikely that his current hideout would fit his pattern. Still, Cassie reasoned, it would do no harm to check them out, so she printed out a copy of the list to show Batman later. That done, she opened another map and began to study tonight's patrol route. Eventually, she heard someone descending the stairs from the mansion. Looking, up she saw Alfred smiling at her from the stairwell.

"Luncheon is prepared, Miss Cassie" the butler said "Kindly wake Miss Raven and join us in the dining room."

Cassie went to the medical bay and nudged Raven awake, before taking the pale girl upstairs. When they reached the dining room, Raven gasped at the sheer amount of food on the table. There was a whole roast chicken, a huge dish of potatoes, a large salad, two bottles of soda, a loaf of bread, corn on the cob, a tureen of soup, a chocolate cake, a bowl of fruit and a steaming pot of tea. She'd never seen a feast like this, yet judging by the attitudes of the others, this was an ordinary event. Beside her, Cassie's stomach rumbled audibly and the two girls sat down at the table across from Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon. Soon, the other Titans joined them and the group began to eat. The food was, of course, excellent and conversation was surprisingly good. Tim spent most of his time catching up with his Gotham family- swapping stories, trading gossip, and joking around with his surrogate siblings. Alfred chatted with the Titans, asking what they thought of Gotham. All the while, Bruce Wayne simply sat and listened to the cheerful noise, a faint smile playing across his lips.

The only odd point in the meal was the way Dick and Barbara seemed to be ignoring Starfire. They never looked at her, nor did they once address her. Raven thought this was a tad odd, but then she didn't know the two very well- perhaps they were simply as insular as their mentor, or perhaps they simply wanted to focus on their long-absent sibling. Certainly they gave off waves of unease and concern strong enough for the young empathy to detect them clearly above the usual tone of gloom and sorrow that pervaded Wayne Manor. Raven nodded to herself.

'That's probably it- they've probably been worried about Tim for a while now. Not only did he lose his girlfriend AND his father, but he's been away for almost four years.'

Satisfied that she had deduced the answer, Raven turned her attention back to the conversation. Soon, though, the meal came to a close, as Bruce rapped his water glass with a spoon.

"I'm glad you were all able to attend" he said, his voice taking on the unmistakable tones of the Batman. "I want to detail today's training regimen. Robin, you and Cassie will work out with Dick in the main gymnasium. Starfire, I've set up a small flight test in the caves with automated non-lethal weapon systems to test your reflexes, speed and agility. Victor, I feel your energies would be best spent in integrating the spy ware I demonstrated last night into your systems- you can use the Batcomputer and my tools if you feel it necessary. Raven, Cassie tells me you've been studying self-defense with her, in the wake of your near rape by Doctor Light-"

"What?!" Tim gasped, staring at Raven in shock. "Raven! Why didn't you tell me that?!"

"I wanted to deal with it myself, Tim. It wasn't a big deal and I felt a little ashamed that Light was able to touch me at all, much less grope me." The dark girl shot her host a dirty look. "Evidently, some people didn't think that was worth considering."

The older man remained unmoved by Raven's tone. "I need to know all of your capabilities in order to plan effectively and that includes an accurate assessment of your fighting skills. I don't have time to coddle your hurt feelings or soothe your wounded pride." Batman replied "I expect everyone to meet back here at four for a post-workout briefing, followed by a rest until eight PM. At eight, we will have supper before preparing for tonight's search. Raven, you won't be searching tonight- instead I want you to go and visit an associate of mine named Jason Blood"

Raven was positively furious, but managed to keep herself under control. "Are you serious? The man I love is in a monster's clutches and you send me off to visit an overhyped celebrity psychic? The one with his own infomercial, who offers to 'contact the spirit world' for two dollars a minute?"

Batman nodded, ignoring Raven's anger. "Jason Blood is an expert in the supernatural and particularly in matters demonic. I want him to do a full assessment of you, in order to determine your abilities and potential."

"I see" Raven said bitterly "and I have no say in this?"

"None" Batman replied curtly, rising from the table. "Meet me in the Batcave in ten minutes."

The next three and a half hours were absolutely grueling. Batman had allowed Raven two minutes to stretch and warm-up before running her through all the katas she had learned so far. As soon as she'd finished, he began to teach her new ones- far more complex than anything Cassie had done so far. This would be wonderful, except that Batman would demonstrate these moves by using them on her before slowly working her through them. As a result, by the time her training session was finished, Raven had acquired a number of bruises and sore joints.

As she limped towards the stairs. She ran into Starfire coming back from her own training. In contrast to Raven, the perky alien was positively humming with joy, and greeted her friend with a warm smile.

"Greetings, Friend Raven!" she exclaimed "Was that not a most glorious day of training? "

"If by glorious you mean painful and humiliating, then yes" Raven answered darkly. "Batman spent today throwing me around, then drilling me on how he did it. I think the man must hate me."

Starfire shook her head. "I do not believe this is the case. From all that Tim has told me, if the Batman does not like someone, he tends to have as little contact with them as possible. He spent today helping you to better yourself, teaching you as he taught his own partners."

Raven put her own pain aside in order to consider this objectively. She had to admit it sounded plausible. "Then why take me off the search? Why keep me from helping to find Beastboy? Why shunt me off to this phony psychic?"

"This I do not know" Starfire replied "But, truly, there is only one way to find out."

The briefing was short and to the point. Batman reviewed the basic layout of Gotham City, and pointed out important landmarks as well as potential hideouts before dismissing them to rest. Raven returned to the Batcave to meditate and clear her mind, as well as to heal her body, before retiring to the medical bay for a nap.

'It really is much more restful down here' Raven reflected as she drifted off to dreamless sleep. 'I should think about just moving my things down here.'

Dinner was much quieter than lunch, as the assembled heroes were mentally preparing for their night's labors. Afterward, Batman lead the group to the Batcave to outline the nights plan. Cyborg would take one of the decoy cars from the garage and cruise the city in disguise. The cybernetic hero would use his newly enhaced sensors to sweep the city for signs of Beastboy or his captor- it was a long shot, but Batman felt it would be worth trying. Starfire and Batgirl would comb the docks and Crime Alley, respectively- both were high crime areas, known to attract Rogues. FInally, Batman, Robin and Nightwing would hit the Iceberg Lounge to see if Oswald Cobblepot (formerly known as the Penguin) knew where Crane was and what he was up to. On that note, the meeting ended, and the heroes dispersed to attend to their duties.

Soon, Raven was flying out over Gotham City, headed for the home of Jason Blood.

A/N

Sorry this chapter took so long, and is so short. I'm working on my final project for school and time's kinda at a premium.

Again, this is just Batman being Batman. He's not intentionally trying to offend/hurt Raven.

ADDENDUM: By mistake I uploaded an incomplete version of this chapter the first time. I know it seems dull, but the truth is some important groundwork has been laid here.


	52. Chapter 52

The home of Jason Blood- noted Occultist and professional Seer- lived down to all of Raven's expectations. A two-story Victorian house in one of Gotham's quieter neighborhoods, the entire property looked like something out of a bad horror movie. A high, wrought-Iron fence surrounded the house, with rusty spikes at the top. The gate itself was old, and gave a long, rusty, and drawn out creak as Raven swung it open. The curtains were drawn in every window, while the wooden shutters hung loose on their hinges, banging noisily with every gust of wind. Flanking the path to the door were two ancient trees, their branches bare of leaves even at the start of summer. Finally, when she reached the door, she noted to see that the door knockers were fashioned in the form of grotesque faces. Raven knocked on the door once, and was unsurprised when the door slowly swung open on its own. A quick glance upwards revealed a mechanism which swung the door open, presumably in response to a knock.

Inside things weren't much better. The house was lit by old-style oil lamps, placed far apart to give the place a shadowy, ominous feel. Strange paintings lined the walls, encompassing a variety of genres but all featuring bizarre and macabre themes or subjects. All the furniture was dusty, and cobwebs lurked in every corner. There were a number of large book cases, holding a vast amount of old books. Even the floor fit the theme, with bare hardwood floorboards which creaked and groaned with every step. That same groaning alerted her to a presence descending a nearby staircase, and she turned in time to see a tall man with long red hair (with an odd white streak in the middle) descending the stairs. He wore a dark suit with an old fashioned string tie, and he gave her a weary smile.

"Ah, you must be Raven Roth" he said, his voice carrying an odd accent "I see you chose to accept my invitation. May I offer you refreshment? "

"No thanks" Raven replied "And I didn't know I had a choice in coming here Batman just told me to go so I went"

Blood nodded and gave an apologetic grimace. "Ah, of course. So typical of the Dark Knight, why pass along an invitation when you can simply order attendance? Forgive me, young lady, I asked Batman to INVITE you here to see if there was some way in which I could aid you."

"Uh huh" Raven said, letting her eyes roam around the room. "Interesting décor. I'm surprised you don't have an owl or a crow flying about the place."

Blood smiled and gestured her towards the stairs. "I actually DID have an owl for a time, but I couldn't keep the damned thing from crapping all over the floor. As for the rest, I find that my clients expect a certain amount of Gothic style in their mediums and psychics. It never hurts to give the customer what he wants, and I never conduct any personal business down here anyway. Come, let us go upstairs and begin."

The second floor was markedly different from the first. The bizarre paintings were replaced by watercolors- generally landscapes, though with a few portraits here and there. None were masterpieces by any stretch of the imagination, but neither were they truly bad. The hardwood floors were covered by a thick, red carpet which muffled all noise. The only problem, as far as Raven could tell, was a lingering smell in the air- she wasn't quite able to put her finger on what it was, but she definitely recognized it.

Eventually, Blood lead her to a door which stood at the very end of the hallway. There was nothing special about it- it was just a big, wooden door. Yet there was something off-putting about it. She hesitated, suddenly unwilling o pass through.

"Why have you- Oh yes." Blood moved forward and made a strange sign with his hands before swinging the door open. "Silly of me, really. A small cantrip, designed to repel intruders. Well, after you"

Raven stepped into the chamber and was amazed. The first thing that struck her was that the room was far too large, larger than the house! It was lined with shelves- most held books, but a few held other things. She could recognize an Eye of Altara (the severed eye of a murderer soaking in ritually prepared liquor), a Hand Of Glory, and what seemed to be a fetal demon floating in formaldehyde. In the center of this chamber was a wide circle marked out in what looked like black ashes. She sighed- the old 'binding circle' bit was popular among occultists and would be magicians, despite the fact that it never worked. Still, she felt she might as well humor the old guy.

"I think I can guess where this is going" she said, stepping into the middle of the circle. "Now, you do whatever you feel you need to do, then let me get back to searching for my friend."

"I believe I can be of some assistance in that search, young lady." Blood said, as he unbuttoned his coat and placed it on a nearby table.

"Look, I appreciate the sentiment Mister Blood, I really do" Raven replied, doing her best to keep her impatience from her voice. "But in all honesty, I don't think a so-called 'medium' or 'see' is going to be all that much help."

In response, Blood threw back his head and roared "_Change! Change, O form of man!_  
_Release the might from fleshy mire!_ _Boil the blood in heart of fire!_ _Gone! Gone! — the form of man —_ _Rise, the Demon Etrigan!!_ "

With a whoosh and a roar, a tremendous burst of fire erupted in the spot where Jason Blood had stood. Raven attempted to smother the flames with her powers… only to discover that she couldn't use her powers. Terror filled her- she felt as though one of her limbs had been removed.

Soon, the smoke and fire cleared and almost immediately Raven wished they hadn't. Standing before her was a demon with yellow skin, small horns, blood-red eyes and a stocky frame. The demon sniffed at the air, before settling its features in a sneer.

_**"Returned once more the Demon-born! Born of Hatred, Bile and Scorn! Jason Blood , foolish man"**_ it roared, its voice deep and gravelly "_**Why do you call 'pon dread Etrigan**_?"

"Uh…" Raven said, then paused. She had very little experience in dealing with demons- at least ones she wasn't related to- and wasn't sure how to proceed.

Whirling round the demon stared at her for a moment before speaking.

_**"Ah, now I see- You're Trigon's spawn. **_

_**But are you free? Or just his pawn?**_"

"I-I think I'm free. But-" Raven stammered, a bit creeped out by this. Despite her supernatural heritage and her unusual upbringing, she had very little practical experience with the demonic. Moreover, this particular demon radiated mystical power which nearly equaled what she had felt from Captain Marvel Junior.

_**"Hush now, child that we may learn**_

_**If you shall go free or if you shall burn"**_

The demon, Etrigan she supposed, began to pace around the circle. He never took his eyes off of her and somehow she knew that, given the slightest reason, he would attack her. Given that her powers were currently offline, Raven suddenly felt like staying very very still. Eventually, Etrigan stopped and gave her a sour look.

_**"Pah! I thought so at first, but now I'm sure,**_

_**The taint is gone, your soul is pure"**_

Raven's body stiffened in shock. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. "No. No, th-that's not right. I'm tainted- tainted with evil by my father's cursed blood!" she stammered, deeply shaken. Throughout all of her life in Azeroth, the people around her had impressed this fact upon her- whether through Azar's gentle lectures on inevitability and destiny or through the hate-filled rants about her innate evil which many of the other residents often delivered. Even her mother had repeated this, telling her that her father's curse would be with her always. As is normal for children, Raven had come to internalize this attitude to a great degree. She often felt unclean, as though stained with dirt that would never come off. She had, in time, come to accept that as part of who and what she was. Now, this DEMON was telling her that it wasn't so, and her entire worldview was shaken.

Seeing her discomfort, Etrigan sneered, revealing a mouth full of white, even and very sharp teeth.

"_**Tell me, Little girl, what is it you think? **_

_**That a Knight of Hell, wouldn't know Hell's stink?  
Enough of this, my task is now done.**_

_**Since you're soul is your own, I'll have no fun.**_

_**Rise, rise the form of Man!|  
Gone Gone is Etrigan!"**_

Another burst of sulfurous flame, and Jason Blood was once more standing before her. He gave her a small smile. "As you have not been torn apart, I gather Etrigan found no taint of your father's dark influence upon you" he said, adjusting one sleeve absently. "Batman will be pleased- he was rather concerned about a possible fifth column within the Titan's ranks."

"Mister Blood- Jason- I" Raven paused, not sure if she wanted to know the answer to her question but desperate to ask it anyway. "My father prophesied that I would turn to evil and help him to achieve his goal. How can my soul be anything but evil?"

Jason Blood sighed, and when he spoke his voice was immeasurably old and weary. "Raven, in my long life I have seen enough to know that prophecy and prescience are not to be relied upon. The future isn't set- every choice we make changes it a little. A prophet is merely sifting through various possible futures, consciously or not, and selecting the one that seems most likely. The trouble is that the very act of prophecy alters probability, since knowledge of the future alters our choices. Your case is no different- when you were born, there was indeed a strong possibility that you would become as evil as your father and usher him into this world. But, because of your childhood in Azerath, your bond with your friends and your own ethics- because of the CHOICES you and those around you made- that possibility became exceedingly unlikely."

Blood took a breath and began to sweep up the soot which had come in the wake of his transformation. "As for being 'tainted'… I'm afraid the monks of Azerath have always had a decidedly fatalistic approach. While they undoubtedly believed what they told you, that does not make it true. Yes, your father is a powerful demon- but your mother was a human, and that means your soul is and always has been your own. I speak as something of an expert on the subject of demons. "

Raven didn't know what to say. She was…free. She had always been free. Despite herself, she felt her iron control starting to slip and struggled to retain control. Noticing her turmoil, the older man smiled.  
"Feel free to let your emotions run free for now" he gestured to the ring of ashes that surrounded her "That circle forms a mystical ward, designed to shield empaths from their abilities. So long as you stay within that circle, your powers are no threat to anyone. I'll go downstairs to give you some privacy."

Soon Raven was alone with her emotions. For the first time in more than a decade, she let herself go. It wasn't easy for the habits of a lifetime aren't easily surrendered, but eventually she was able to let her feelings out. She laughed with joy at the knowledge of her own freedom. She cried for the many years of self-hatred and guilt, all of it pointless. She raged at the unjustness of life. She allowed herself to feel fear for her boyfriend's safety. She ran through her entire life, experiencing the emotions she had previously denied herself. Eventually, when she felt too wrung out to continue, she assumed the lotus position and reassumed control over herself. When she felt sure of herself, she stepped out of the circle and headed downstairs. As she walked she glanced at a clock, noting without surprise that it had been four hours since she first entered the house.

She found Jason Blood seated in a red leather chair near the staircase, reading from a thick book. He looked up as she approached. "Feeling better?"

"Yes. Better than I ever have before, to tell you the truth." Raven admitted. "Is there any way to obtain more of that ash you used upstairs?"

"I doubt it" Blood replied "It contains some rather rare ingredients"

"I'm willing to try," Raven said firmly. "Now, what's in it?"

Blood closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. "First you'll need a bag of sea salt, collected by hand in summer."

"Hold on, let me get something to write with" Raven glanced around the room, eventually finding a small notepad on top of one of the bookshelf. Using her powers she floated it over to her, and took a pencil from a nearby table. "Right..Sea salt collected by hand in the summer"

"Next, you'll need Rowan berry juice- about a cup's worth for every pounds of ash you want to make."

"Quarter cup of rowan berry juice… got it" Raven muttered. She hoped the rest would be this easy- being able to cancel out her power at will would make her life much much easier.

"Thirdly, three red apples taken from the tree at twilight on Midsummer's Eve."

"Red apples… Midsummer's Eve… Not easy but far from impossible" Raven said, fighting to keep her excitement under control.

"Next, you will need seven leaves from a consecrated oak tree. The consecration must be done by a druidic high priest."

"Oh-kay…" Raven said. "That will be…difficult. But I suppose there must be one or two left out there somewhere. If I explain the situation then maybe…"

"Lastly" Blood said hesitantly "You will need the heart of a noble born youth no more than fourteen years old"

Raven's head shot up and she leveled the older man a disbelieving glare. Blood returned her gaze with an angry look of his own. "Don't look at me like that- the last time I prepared the ashes was 1258 AD. Times were very different back then and most of the nobility were trying to kill people of the Old Faith. I was a very angry man,a s you might guess, and decided revenge in kind would be appropriate"

Raven sighed and tossed the notepad away. "Well, that settles that. It was nice while it lasted. Is there anything else you can do to help me?"

"I'm afraid not" Blood said, shaking his head. "I had considered joining my power to yours to perform a mystic scan of the entire city, but on further reflection I believe that would be too dangerous. There is a significant risk that Etrigan would be able to use it for evil, even locked away within me. I can, however, do so on my own- please bear in mind, however, that such a scan will take time, perhaps as much as a week."

"I understand" Raven said "Thank you for… well, for freeing me, I suppose. Freeing me from my guilt and self-hatred. If there's ever anything I can do to repay you, just name it."

With that, Raven headed for the door. She might be free, but she couldn't rest until Garfield was as well.

A/N  
The last month or so, my life has been filled with school work. Final exams, term papers, and my MA Final Project all took up a lot of time. Nevertheless, I was able to put this chapter together, a little bit at a time. Until about three weeks ago, I'd planned for it to be much longer- it would have included the interrogation of the Penguin and it would have ended with Robin confronting Dick and Barbara about Starfire. It wasn't easy, especially not with Etrigan's rhyming speech, but it was coming along.

Then my grandfather died. It was painless, and he was 98 so I guess we really can't complain too much. Nevertheless, writing was the last thing on my mind. I'm still coming to terms with that loss- I loved him a lot. But I decided that you guys deserved SOMETHING to tide you over until I get my head together again. I hope to resume work in a few weeks- since my course load is much lighter this semester; I hope updates will be faster than once a month. Thanks for your patience.


	53. Chapter 53

At two AM, Oswald Cobblepot excused himself from his hosting duties and strutted up the stairs which lead to his private offices, just above the main floor of the Iceberg Lounge. As he stepped through his door, he allowed himself a smile- it had been a profitable evening for him. The club had been full all night long, with patrons buying drinks and food. Moreover, he had been informed by some of his men that his more…unorthodox enterprises would soon yield handsome profits. A shipment of luxury cars was even now being secretly offloaded onto the Gotham docks, along with a number of beautiful girls from the Third World, headed for an uptown escort service.

Entering the luxurious office, with its thick green carpet and wide mahogany desk, the former super villain chuckled. He was making more money as a 'legitimate businessman' than he ever had as the Penguin. As he hefted his bulk into the leather chair which sat just in front of his large window, Cobblepot reached down and opened the hidden safe that rested just beneath his desk and withdrew a small brown ledger. Taking a fountain pen from its holder he wrote down the evenings illegal doings in his own private code. "_C is bringing eggs to roost, while H feathers the nest"_. He was quite proud of that code because it was vague enough that even if it were deciphered it was unlikely to be used as evidence. Of course, he had to write things down somewhere- no one could keep a widespread enterprise in his own head.

Putting the ledger back in its place, he reached across the desk to replace his pen… and noticed a familiar shadow on the wall. With a squawk, Cobblepot threw himself from his chair just as the window behind his desk was smashed by Batman. The Dark Knight seized the shorter man by the front of his shirt and hurled him against the far wall of his office. The Penguin winced as he struck the wall, instinctively grasping for some means of defending himself. Before he could reach a nearby umbrella stand, however, his wrist was caught in an iron grip.

"Don't." Batman growled, his mask inches away from Cobblepot's nose.

"What do you want?" the pudgy crimelord asked, trying to regain his composure. He was too experienced a Rogue to be quivering with fear at the appearance of the Bat, but he was still somewhat ruffled.

"I want information, Cobblepot. Where's the Scarecrow?" Batman asked, releasing his hold on Cobblepot.

"Direct your inquiries to Dorothy" the Penguin huffed, straightening his formal shirt "or perhaps the Cowardly Lion. I run a reputable establishment, Batman- unless you have proof of malfeasance on my part, I suggest you depart."

Batman slammed the Penguin against the wall once more, this time actually lifting the smaller man off the ground with one hand. "Don't lie to me Cobblepot- I'm not the police, I don't need evidence before I punish you. I know that Jonathan Crane was in here a few weeks ago, and I know that you keep track of everything of importance that's said in this club. Now, where did he go?"

Cobblepot swallowed loudly and started talking.

On the rooftop across from Cobblepot's office, Robin gave a deep sigh. Finally, it appeared they were making headway. He and Batman had spent the night waiting for the Penguin to come up to his office, the one place in the entire club where he would be alone and thus could be interrogated safely. Robin understood why they had had to wait- they couldn't exactly burst into the middle of the Iceberg's dance floor and start roughing up the owner. But the wait had been hard to take. Stakeouts were few and far between in Jump City and Robin had nearly lost the knack of staying totally still for hours at a time.

It didn't help matters that the only role he could play the part of a spectator in the night's proceedings. When the Titans had formally been formed, they had decided that they needed to get police approval in order to create a good working relationship with city officials. This provided a number of important benefits to the team, most significant of which was their official status as protectors of the city and the right to make their own arrests. However, it also came with a significant downside- Robin, like all of his teammates was now officially subject to many of the same restrictions as police officers including the possibility of legal reprisals for brutality. While the Penguin could hardly press charges against batman for violating his civil liberties, he could do so against Robin- therefore, Robin had been ordered to stand lookout.

Out of the corner of his eye, the Boy Wonder spotted three of Cobblepots thugs sneaking towards the back entrance of the club. Doubtless, the pair had heard the noises emanating from their employer's office and had decided to investigate. Firing off a grappling line, Robin leapt happily from his perch and swung down to street level. Just before he landed, he released his hold on the line and landed on top of one of the goons, sending the larger man to the ground. At the sound of the impact, the remaining thugs Robin delivered a vicious stomp to the prone man's face- enough to knock him out without killing him- before executing a flawless flip over the shoulders of the remaining two. Crouching down, Robin swept out with one leg, tripping a second thug and sending him down. Robin then performed a perfect handspring into the air, launching a crescent kick directly at the head of the final goon, who was driven into the wall.

Robin took a deep breath and surveyed the scene- inside of ten seconds he had disposed of three experienced goons. Admittedly, he had had the element of surprise, but it was still a notable achievement. As he made his way back up to his position he saw that Batman was already there. When he got there, the Dark Knight turned to him and nodded.

"I saw your work on those three" Batman said, his voice as neutral as ever. "You did well. Clearly your training regimen is working."

Robin smiled broadly, enjoying one of his mentor's rare compliments. It was nice to know that even after the debacle of losing a team mate, he still had Batman's respect. "So what did Cobblepot have to say?"

"Scarecrow hasn't been seen in the city in over a month" Batman said "The last time anyone saw him was at the Iceberg- Crane spent more than normal, and Cobblepot suspected he had come into money somehow. During the night, he was seen speaking to three people: Killer Croc, Mister Freeze and the Riddler. Each conversation lasted more than five minutes, which means any or all of those three might give us a clue as to where Crane is hiding out."

Robin nodded, but his smile faded. "Something about this doesn't feel right. Crane's always been a loner. So why was he suddenly such a chatterbox that night? Is it possible Penguin is setting us up?"

Batman nodded. "Cobblepot is a tricky bird; with him, deception is always a possibility. However, we have nothing better to go on so we'll treat this information as genuine. Let's head back to the manor and inform your teammates."

* * *

Back at the manor, the entire group was once more gathered in the dining room, for a combination breakfast and briefing. As always, the food was superb- eggs Florentine, fresh orange juice, toast, jam, milk, and fresh baked muffins. The assembled heroes ate heartily, ravenous after a long night's work. Each gave their report- Raven summarized her encounter with Jason Blood though she withheld some facts as being too personal to be shared just then. Cassie and Starfire each reported a quiet night- Batgirl had apprehended a would-be rapist, while Starfire had surprised a cat burglar, causing the man to fall two stories into a full dumpster. Cyborg had driven through the seedier parts of Gotham (that is to say nine tenths of the city) in search of some sign of Crane but found nothing. Finally, Bruce stood up.

"During my interrogation of Oswald Cobblepot" he said "I learned of three people who may have an idea of where Crane is hiding. One is Waylon Jones, alias Killer Croc- a former wrestler turned criminal with superhuman strength and cannibalistic tendencies. Second is Victor Fries alias Mister Freeze- a former scientist who uses a suit of powered armor and a freeze ray to spread misery. Finally, Edward Nygma also known as the Riddler- a megalomaniac with a compulsion to prove his intellectual superiority by leaving clues to his next crime. Crane had extended conversations with all of three and so we have to find and question them all. Unfortunately, we can't tackle them one at a time- aside from the fact that this would take weeks, it would almost certainly alert our targets and give them time to flee or fortify their lairs. Therefore, I will split us into three teams each tasked with searching for one of the three.

Cyborg and Starfire will search for Killer Croc since you two stand the best chance against him in straight combat. Raven and Batgirl will be looking for Mister Freeze. Robin and I will hunt for the Riddler- his puzzles and deathtraps can be lethal for those not used to solving them. Nightwing, I want you to maintain a regular patrol across the city."

Dick nodded "Gotcha. Throw the fear of Grayson into Gotham."

Bruce didn't respond- he was used to his oldest "son" and his sense of "humor". "While you hunt, don't be afraid to split up if you feel you need to- you're all experienced superheroes and I trust you can handle your targets. However, should you encounter Scarecrow do NOT attempt to engage him on his own- despite appearances, Scarecrow is more dangerous than any of these three."

Starfire raised her hand. "Are you certain of this? How dangerous can this Scarecrow be?"

Before Bruce could answer, Barbara slammed her cup down on the table, and turned to glared at the alien girl. "How dangerous can he be?! You stupid, stupid girl! Didn't you learn ANYTHING from your battles with the Joker?! Didn't the fact that he was able to kidnap your team mate without difficulty clue you in?! Or are you so arrogant you think you'll be able to do easily what we mere Earthlings have to struggle and fight to do?!"

Starfire shook her head violently and cringed away from the suddenly frightening woman. She looked to her team mates- Cyborg looked as frightened as she felt, Raven was glaring at the older woman while Tim and Cassie stared in shock. Salvation came, oddly, from her host.

"Starfire" Bruce asked looking at her "Were you suggesting that Crane was not as dangerous as our precautions seem to indicate? Or were you genuinely asking me how dangerous I feel him to be?"

"Th-the second" Starfire replied. "I have never heard of this villain before a-and I wished to know what to expect"

"All right." Bruce replied calmly, throwing a glance at Barbara Gordon. The redheaded woman grimaced and turned away. "Starfire I want you to close your eyes and imagine the worst thing that has ever happened to you"

Starfire obeyed and cast her mind back to her worst memory- her time in the Psions labs.

"Can you picture it?" Bruce asked.

The gleam of the lights on polished white surfaces. The contrast of gleaming metal instruments and her own bright green blood. The feel of massive quantities of solar radiation burning away the topmost portion of her skin. The howls of pain, terror and misery echoing from the other chambers of the ship… Starfire shivered. "Yes. I picture it clearly" she said quietly.

"Good" Bruce said "It will be exactly as bad as that. Crane's fear gas makes your worst nightmares and darkest memories horrifyingly real. You become trapped in a terrifying fantasy world. This is bad enough in most cases, but imagine the havoc one or more super powered beings would wreak while in a drug-induced psychotic episode. That is why I don't want anyone going after him alone."

"I see." Starfire turned to Barbara She knew that the older woman was highly respected by the Bat Family and had no desire to antagonize her. "Please accept my apologies for my lack of clarity."

"No, Star." Tim broke in, glaring at Barbara "You have nothing to apologize for. Babs what the HELL was that about? You and Dick have been acting hostile to Starfire ever since you met her, and I think we BOTH deserve an explanation."

Before Barbara could respond, Dick stood up. "You're right, Tim. You do. But right now isn't the time- we're all tired and emotional. Let's meet in the library tomorrow at four PM. We'll have a long talk and clear the air."

Tim growled. Every instinct told him to refuse, to demand that the issue be settled now. However, deep down he knew Dick was right. His mind was heavy with fatigue and he knew that in his current state the already delicate situation would be a lot touchier. He nodded.

"On that note" Alfred said, his voice as calm as ever "I believe you should all hurry off to bed. I shall awaken you in eight hours. Sleep well."

A/N  
No, this is NOT Barbara just being a bitch, as you'll see in the next chapter. Please don't bash the character.

I know that I cheated a little on the background for the three Rogues- even Croc has more to him. But honestly, I don't think Batman would be giving an in-depth bio at this point. And yeah, I honestly think Scarecrow is more dangerous than these three- not because they suck but because Crane is just scary (no pun intended).

Thanks to everyone for their condolences. You all rock. It's nice to know that the internet has good people on it, as well as 4Chan.


	54. Chapter 54

Starfire approached her boyfriend's door timidly. She very much wished that they did not have to do this- she did not want to confront Richard and Barbara about their anger towards her. After all, as soon as they found Beastboy they would leave Gotham City and return home. Why then could they not simply avoid the pair until they were able to leave?

She knew that no words could alter her feelings or Tim's, but still this confrontation would be unpleasant in the extreme. Still, she supposed it had to be done if Tim were to be comfortable with their relationship. With that in mind, she knocked on the door to Tim's chamber.

Her boyfriend opened the door, a grim look on his face. "Hi, Starfire. Did you sleep well?"

"No" Starfire responded honestly. "In truth, my slorvax was most unpleasant. I am most worried about our confrontation with your adopted siblings. I fear they will be most hostile, and perhaps initiate the yelling."

Tim rubbed his head and looked away. "About that… I think it might be better if I faced them alone. I have a feeling this is going to get ugly and it's only going to be worse if you're there for them to focus on. If it's just me, I think they'll have an easier time keeping themselves together. Is- Is that okay with you?"

Starfire smiled, relieved. "It is most gloriously okay, Tim!"

Tim looked up, unable to believe his ears. "You're not hurt?"

"Why should I be hurt?" Starfire asked still smiling happily. "After all, I know that you love me. I know, therefore, that you will tell me all that shall occur and that you will not allow them to pressure you into not loving me. All that has changed is that I will not have to confront them myself- something I knew would be most unpleasant."

Tim smiled back "So in a way, I'm doing you a favor, huh?"

Starfire leaned down slightly to press her forehead against Tim's. "Yes, a grand favor and I promise I shall repay you. I believe I heard Cyborg mention that his chamber was just above the library and that he could hear much of what occurred below. Would it be all right if I were to listen to your conversation from there? I am sure Cyborg would not mind and would grant me privacy were I to request it."

"That's a good idea" Tim replied leaning up to give his girlfriend a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll help you get set up"

Down in the Batcave, Batgirl emerged from her tunnel to find Batman seated in front of his main computer. Without looking up Batman spoke. "Batgirl, what do you know about Slade?"

* * *

Batgirl paused to collect her thoughts before answering. "Robin says he's the most dangerous villain in Jump City. Crime lord, terrorist and mastermind. Often used others as pawns against the Titans. Never caught. Obsessed with the Titans. Tried to turn Robin to his side, then used Terra to attack the team. Finally disappeared after Trigon's attack."

"All signs of a first class mind and an experienced criminal." Batman agreed "So why is there no record of him anywhere other than Jump City?"

Behind her mask, the younger vigilante frowned. "Nothing on him in the database?"

"Nothing on him anywhere" Batman corrected. "I've checked and crosschecked every municipal, state, national and international police database I could find. I have no reference to any significant criminals using the name 'Slade' nor to any known super-criminal whose costume matches the one described by Robin. "

Batgirl approached the computer before replying "Maybe just changed name and costume?"

"Unlikely. Most villains- and heroes, for that matter- invest a great deal of themselves into their costumed identities. It's rare for them to change them to any significant degree and they never do so lightly" Batman said. "However, it's even less likely that this 'Slade' is a newcomer- I've gone over Robin's reports of his crimes and everything about them indicates an extremely experienced operator, with powerful connections and a great deal of skill. Someone like that doesn't just pop up out of nowhere"

Batgirl shrugged. "Not important right now. Need to find Beastboy. And Slade isn't in Gotham anyway."

Batman grunted and pushed away from the console. "Until we get more information, there's nothing we can do about that. Slade brought his business into my city, which means I won't stop until he's brought down. For now, I'll set the computer to search for any further information regarding Slade while we continue on our search for your friend. In the mean time, let's get started on today's exercises. When your pupil Raven comes down, I'd like you to run her through a few kata- show me what she can do."

Batgiril nodded. She knew that Batman was eager to analyze Raven's progress as a means of judging Batgirl's own abilities as an instructor. Truth to tell, she wasn't very worried- Raven's progress had been quite astonishing, likely due to her traumatic experience at the hands of Doctor Light and to her well-honed abilities to focus her mind. Already she had mastered a number of throws, holds and striking kata which she would be able to show Batman. If they were very lucky, the Dark Knight might be impressed enough to offer to share his own knowledge, Batman's training was likely to be far more effective than her own, and might keep Raven from worrying too much about what her boyfriend was likely suffering. That decided, Batgirl headed for the training area of the Batcave.

* * *

Tim arrived in the library a little after four, having taken some time helping Starfire. Together, the pair had found a small hole in the floor of Cyborg's room. Tim had then given the alien girl a glass and explained how it could be used to aid listening. He always loved explaining things to Starfire- her face seemed to light up with happiness at every new thing she learned.

He found Dick and Barbara seated in two of the study's chairs, both facing the door. Two empty chairs rested in front of them, clearly meant for himself and Starfire. Barbara's wheelchair rested in one corner of the room, abandoned for this meeting. Dick gave Tim a small smile.

"You're a little late and a little alone" he remarked. "I'm guessing you decided your girlfriend shouldn't hear what we had to say?"

"That's not it" Tim replied in a tight voice. "I just didn't want you two losing control in an already volatile situation. Despite what you might think, Starfire is neither weak nor a 'stupid girl'"

Barbara winced at that. "We don't think she's either, Tim. In fact, judging from your reports, she seems like a very intelligent and strong willed girl. For what it's worth, I'm deeply sorry for what I said this morning. Blame it on too little sleep and too much failure in recent days. I was hoping to apologize to her today- I'll make it a point to do so afterwards."

Tim relaxed slightly. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all- if Babs wanted to apologize, whatever she had against Starfire couldn't be too serious."Do so. So, if you think so highly of her, why have you been treating her so coldly."

"Too be honest, Tim, we're a little concerned about your relationship with her" Dick said, motioning for his 'brother' to take a seat. Once Tim did so, the older man went on. "We have some… fairly substantial worries about it in fact. Normally we would have just spoken to you, Tim, but we know you. You don't do well with unsolicited advice or with people questioning your decisions. We had to wait for you to come and talk to us, but when you didn't… well, I guess we allowed our worries to color our treatment of her."

Tim frowned. "What objections could you possibly have to my relationship with Starfire? She's kind, sweet, caring, honest and beautiful. "

"Well, there are a lot of them, Robin" Barbara said "But mostly they center around two main issues: She's an alien and she's a princess."

"What?" Tim cried, rising from his seat "You mean this is all some sort of stupid racist or class-based thing? How dare-"

"Tim, do you ever want to have children?" Dick cut in.

"What?" Tim was a bit put off by the seeming change of topic, but like any vigilante he was quick to find his wits. "Yeah, I hope to someday."

"Well you've picked the wrong girl" Dick replied. "Your DNA and Starfire's are totally incompatible- in fact, I'd be astonished if her genes even resembled those of a human. All life on Earth has some common links, since we all share the same original ancestor, but Starfire lacks even that. Since reproduction requires a combination of genetic material, that kind of rules out kids"

Tim shrugged, not visibly agitated. "Not a huge deal. If life with you and Bruce has taught me anything, it's that family is who you lo0ve not who shares your blood. We can always adopt. "

"Okay" Barbara said "How about this: How long do Tamaranians live?"

"I-" Tim frowned, and wrinkled his brow. " I… don't know. I mean, Star's seventeen now, and she's aged normally so far, but that doesn't necessarily mean much. For all I know, she could outlive me by centuries"

"Or she might die in a few years." Dick countered "I've spoken to Kyle Rayner and John Stewart. Neither of them know very much about her people- the Green Lantern Corps has some kind of rule against interfering in that part of the galaxy. But they both said that very few species match the human lifespan; most are either much longer lived or much shorter lived."

"Past that, there's the issue of sexual compatibility." Barbara added. "Starfire's biology is only superficially like ours. For all we know, 'sex' for her means laying eggs or something even stranger. That might be kind of important in a long-term relationship."

Tim nodded slowly. "Those are all reasonable points, but I don't think they're your main concerns. I mean, nothing about them explains the way you treated Starfire, plus they really aren't deal-breakers as far as a relationship goes. So what else have you got?"

Dick shared a look with his fiancée and when he next spoke, his voice was gentle. "Tim, how long do you think Starfire is going to stay on Earth?"

"Huh? I don't know, as long as she wants to I guess." Tim replied, puzzled by such a simple question.

"Really? Tim, she's a PRINCESS. She's what- next in line for the throne? Maybe second in line? Even if her parents or sister don't suddenly die, do you really think they're going to allow the crown princess to bum around on an alien planet for the rest of her life?"

"Not only that, but from what you've told us about her, Starfire is very devoted to her people." Babs added "Do you think she'll willingly abandon them forever? Especially if her sister is as evil as you said she was? Wouldn't she eventually HAVE to go back, to make sure Blackfire doesn't just seize control as absolute tyrant?"

"I- uh…Ah…" Tim stammered. He hadn't thought about that before. "I- I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out."

"Really?" babs asked skeptically. "What about cultural differences? For example, are Tamaranians monogamous? Is Starfire going to be satisfied with one mate or will she want several? Will you be equals in the relationship or are you just going to be her consort?"

"Then there's the issue of whether her position will allow a long term relationship with you" Dick continued relentlessly. "I'll be the first to admit that my knowledge of alien royalty customs and traditions isn't everything it might be, but I know this- any royal family that possesses real power rarely allows its members to marry just anyone. They usually make sure that marriages bring them the maximum amount of political and economic ties. That means those they marry have to be royalty, or at least aristocrats. And unless you've inherited a title we don't know about, Tim…"

"Even if you did" Babs interrupted "I don't think it would matter. Tim, didn't you tell us that Starfire almost married some alien prince? Do you really think that he's the only potential match her family will find? If they did that once, it seems likely they'll do so again, and nothing you- or anyone on this planet- can do will make you a viable choice for that kind of arranged marriage."

Tim didn't respond. The truth was, he'd never given these issues any thought. A true child of American democracy, he considered Starfire's title a pleasant quirk. He'd never stopped to consider what her royal blood might actually mean for her, for them. He found he couldn't simply reject his 'siblings' points- they made a lot of sense.

Seeing the distress on her young friends face, Babs leaned forward and took his hand in her own. "Do you see why we're saying these things to you Tim? It's not that we want to hurt you, or keep you from moving on now that Steph's gone. It's because there are some real problems in your relationship with Starfire."

"Worse, they're problems Starfire already knows about. " Dick said grimly "I don't mean the problems relating to her species- it's natural to think of all species as being the same as your own, and she probably didn't give it any more thought than you did. But as a princess, the difference between herself and a commoner would have been drilled into her from a very young age, as well as knowledge of her duty to her people. So unless Starfire is much stupider than any of us believe, she must have already thought of the social problems we mentioned. The fact that she never mentioned them to you has two possible explanations. The first is that Starfire has decided to abandon her people and her planet, and to keep that information from you so you don't feel guilty over it. The second… well…"

Here Dick paused, unwilling to voice his other theory. Barbara shot him a look, and leaned forward, still holding Tim's hand. "The other explanation Tim" she said in a quiet gentle voice "is that she doesn't think of your relationship as a long term thing. She looks at it the way some girls view a guy they meet on vacation- someone to have fun with until they go home. The reason she never mentioned these problems I because she doesn't plan to be around long enough for them to be issues."

Tim looked at Babs and tried to make his voice angry. "Starfire says she loves me. Are you calling her a liar?"

"No, we're saying that an alien might have a different understanding of what 'love' means." Dick replied. "it's a tricky enough concept for humans to grasp, and with Starfire's linguistic and cultural differences, it's possible she's using the term In a sense that we wouldn't consider appropriate. For example, how do you know she doesn't mean 'I love you for NOW'?"

Tim sat silently for a moment, letting all these new thoughts sink in. Suddenly he rose from his seat and headed for the door, his gaze vacant. "I have to talk to Starfire" he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

When he'd left, Barbara turned to her fiancée with a worried look on her face. "Dick, Im not sure we did the right thing." She said,. "I mean, Tim's not taking this at all well. If he'd gotten angry or sad or done SOMETHING,. I'd know he was okay. But to give no reaction at all…"

"I know what you mean Babs" Dick replied, never taking his eyes from the door. "When Timmy goes cold like that it means he's feeling something so powerful he's afraid to let it show. But we had to do it- one way or another, the princess thing IS going to be an issue and he'd have taken it a lot worse if it happened without warning. At least this way he can either end the relationship on his own terms or preparing for whatever will happen."

Babs gave a sigh and sat back in her chair. "I hope he'll be okay, Dick. "

Dick nodded. "Me too, Babs. Me too."

* * *

A/N  
All these issues are ones I came up with when I was writing Joker's Wild and really gave a thought to what dating an alien princess would actually mean. Like I said, this isn't Barbara or Dick (or me) bashing anyone, but raising real concerns.

Sorry about the wait on this chapter. Here's a new deal: I promise to update this story when and as I can, and to make each chapter a bit longer to compensate.

I thought about including a few writing tips in this chapter, just general stuff I find helps me when I write Titans. People seemed to enjoy my Joker Writing Tips ™, so I figured why not? But it kinda struck me as presumptuous to just include 'em- sort of a "Here partake of my infinite wisdom and genius, ye insignificant mortals" thing. So is anyone interested in seeing something like that, or should I just keep my mouth shut?


	55. Chapter 55

Robin emerged from the library and slowly made his way to Cyborg's room. He felt… well, he wasn't sure WHAT he felt, exactly. He felt angry that Dick and Babs for trying to meddle with his relationship, yet at the same time he was glad that they cared so much about him. He was angry about what he had just learned and what Starfire surely knew- that their relationship was likely doomed, but at the same time he desperately hoped he was wrong. He knew the only way to resolve things was to talk to Starfire, however unpleasant it might be.

As he moved towards the room she'd used to eavesdrop, he noticed that the door stood open. Looking inside, the Boy wonder noticed that the glass she had used to listen with lay fallen on the floor, a large crack testifying to the force with which it had hit. Furthermore, he noticed that the wall behind the door was cracked in the precise shape of the doorknob- something that could only have happened if the door had been flung open with great force. From this it was plain that the alien girl had left the room quickly, and in a state of emotional distress. Oddly, this made Tim feel a little better- after all, if Starfire hadn't been affected at all by what she'd heard it would have been a good deal less hopeful, a sign that she didn't care at all.

Tim paused briefly to consider where he could find her. The manor was large place, with dozens of rooms to hide in. Starfire, however, didn't know it very well at all- in all likelihood she hadn't gone beyond her room, the kitchen, the bathroom and the dining room. Quickly, the Boy Wonder checked these rooms and found them to be empty. Then he had an idea. Starfire always seemed to seek out high places when she felt distressed, so logically the roof of the manor would be the place she would most likely go after hearing something distressing.

Reaching the roof, he found Starfire staring out at the city. The sun was just sinking below the horizon, painting the spires of Gotham in red, while the stars began to come out. Under normal circumstances, Tim would have found the scene to be unbelievably romantic, and would have been thrilled to share it with Starfire. As things stood, however, he plodded over to the roof's edge and sat down beside the alien girl.

"So I guess there's no point in asking if you heard that, huh?" He sighed.

"I heard all." Starfire replied, her voice choked with emotion.

"Well, what do you have to say?" Tim asked. When no answer was forthcoming, he went on "I mean, Dick and Babs were right- you must have thought of the problems they brought up before this. So why didn't you say something?"

"I said nothing because I did not think I needed to say anything." Starfire replied in a quiet voice. "The issues your family mentioned were known to me, but I considered them unimportant because they were issues for the future."

"What?" Tim replied "Come on, Star- I know you better than that. You're just as capable of thinking long-term as any of us. Give me the real reason"

"Truly, Tim, I have given you the real reason. This is very difficult to explain…" Starfire trailed off at that, as she struggled to put her thoughts into English. Suddenly, she leapt to her feet and pointed to the sky. "Quickly, Tim, look there!"

Tim looked up just in time to catch a glimpse of a shooting star racing across the sky. Looking back at the alien girl, he saw her smiling. Normally, a display of such happiness from her would make him smile but now he found himself distinctly unmoved. "So?" He asked.

"Tim, please tell me what that was?"

"Huh?" Now he was truly confused. While Starfire's ignorance of Earth customs and her imperfect English often gave the impression of stupidity, he knew that her knowledge of science and mathematics far exceeded his own. "That's just a shooting star- you know, a meteorite burning up in the atmosphere."

"What if it had not burned up? What if it had hit us?" Starfire asked.

"That's almost impossible, Star- no one in history has ever been killed by a meteorite" Tim replied, honestly puzzled by the turn this conversation had taken.

"But what if it had?" Starfire repeated, her voice patient and calm.

"It COULDN'T Star" Tim replied, beginning to lose his patience. "The atmosphere of Earth is just too much of a barrier for anything short of a gigantic meteor."

"But what if it had?" Starfire repeated, just as calm as ever.

"Then we'd be DEAD!" Tim snapped, losing his temper. He'd come here hoping that Starfire would be able to quiet the many doubts that his conversation with Dick and Barbara had raised, but instead she seemed to be distracted by a damned shooting star."

"Correct" Starfire said with a nod. "We would be dead, and all of our worries about what might be in the future would seem very silly, would they not?"

Tim frowned. "So, what are you saying? Ignore the future and live in the now? I know you don't believe that, Star- I've known you to make long term plans."

"But not about love- my people do not believe in planning love" Starfire sighed. "Tim, you must understand something about my people. We were at war with the Gordanians for a very very long time. It was a very bloody war as well, with battles that often killed virtually all the soldiers on both sides. Our warriors spent every day knowing that they would most likely not survive their next battle, much less the entire war. To dwell on this would make any form of love impossible, for how can you give your heart to one that may be dead tomorrow? For this reason, it became customary among my people to treat matters of the heart as matters only of the present. To love unreservedly and without hesitation while love was possible, and to deal with any problems or consequences only as they occurred. Over time, this became our normal attitude towards romance- we love in the now, for we cannot say what will come tomorrow. For this reason, I did not give future problems any thought for they are for the future."

Tim nodded- that made sense, he supposed, and it made him feel much better to know that Starfire hadn't been just hiding things from him, or worse, that she didn't care. Still, it wasn't a perfect answer. "That's true, Star" he said "But we aren't in a war now, so…

Starfire frowned as she cut in. "Are we not? I feel our friends Raven and Beastboy would disagree. Do you think that it could not have been you or I picked by the Joker? Do you think Raven does not regret every time she failed to express her love for Beastboy?"

Tim was silent as he considered this. It was true that their lives were exceptionally dangerous- nearly as dangerous as a soldier in wartime, now that he thought of it. What Starfire was saying made a degree of sense. But he shook his head. "It's not that I don't agree that our lives are dangerous, Star, but I don't know if I can just ignore these problems now that I know about them. "

Starfire sniffled- she should have known that Tim would not be able to adapt to Tamaranian thinking. It was too much to ask of him to change his very nature- Tim was methodical and preferred planning to improvisation. She forced herself to refrain from crying. "I see." She said, her voice as neutral as she could make it. "Will you then be… breaking up with me?"

"No" Tim said, a smile beginning to spread across his face as he put his arm around the taller girls shoulder, drawing her close. "No. We're going to figure out how to solve these problems together Star. You know your culture better than I do, and you're great at coming up with unexpected solutions to problems. I'm a good planner, and I never give up. Together, I know we can overcome anything! We can't talk now, but after the big Wayne Charity Ball next week, we should have some time…"

Starfire thought she would burst with joy.

Beastboy was awoken from his light nap by the sound of the door to his room opening. From their seats in front of the television, his two guards Tony and Sid glanced up long enough to be certain that it was Charlie coming in and not an intruder. Once they reassured themselves that all was well, they turned back to their movie.

Charlie looked over at the screen and snorted- he'd seen Party At Blood Bay already, and frankly he hadn't thought much of it. He moved over to the bed and tapped Beastboy on the shoulder.

"Hey, kid" he said, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb his friends and their crappy movie. "C'mon, you got an appointment in five minutes."

"I do? For what?" Beastboy sat up, still a little muddled from sleep. "I don't remember making an appointment… Is it that Hollywood director John Luca? Did he get my fan script for Episode I: The Fainting Marmoset?"

Charlie gave the green boy a long long look. Since they'd been together, he'd found himself coming to like the little green goofball. The kid was all right, most ways, and Charlie hoped he wouldn't have to make anything bad happen to him. That being said, there were times when he would give a lot to know what went on in that fuzzy green head. "No, kid. The boss says you have an appointment, so you have an appointment. I don't know any more than that. Let's go, times a-wastin'. "

The two made their way down the long hallway towards the elevator. Charlie walked behind Beastboy and although he didn't appear to have a weapon, Beastboy had a feeling this wouldn't be a good time to make another escape attempt. Charlie's eyes were fixed on him, and his last attempt had left him in no doubt that there were plenty of other guards around. Besides, he still felt guilty over what might have happened to Charlie if he'd actually succeeded in breaking out of ….wherever he was.

When they reached the elevator, Charlie hit the button for -2 and the elevator started to move down. Charlie turned to Beastboy and smiled. "No kicking in the controls this time, okay? The guy from maintenance bitched for a week last time."

Beastboy snorted. "Dude, tell him it was an accident. My foot just slipped, I swear."

Charlie laughed. "I'll do that, just to see what color his face turns."

Beastboy smiled just as the elevator doors slid open again. "I bet you five it's some shade of purple."

"Nah, he's a skinny little guy" Charlie replied as they headed down the new hallway. "Best he'll manage is some shade of pink. Here we are."

Entering the room, Beastboy let out a low whistle. The whole room was filled with medical equipment. The pieces he could actually identify included a CAT-scan, an EEG machine, a blood-pressure station, and an X-Ray machine. Added to this were dozens of advanced looking equipment whose purpose was a mystery to him. Standing in the center of the room was a blonde woman with thick glasses and a very nervous expression. Charlie nodded to the woman who hesitantly returned his greeting,

"June here is going to be running some tests on you" Charlie said, taking a seat in a corner near the door.

"Hiya, June" Beastboy said, extending a hand. The woman flinched away. Beastboy frowned, then smiled. "It's the skin isn't it? Yeah, some people get put off by the green. Don't worry, it's nothing contagious." To his surprise, this actually seemed to make the woman more jumpy. He was about to make a few jokes to put her at ease when Charlie gave a low whistle.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you, man." The guard said "I think the Boss told her not to talk to you or else, and knowing the Boss he probably told her just what Or Else would mean for her and her family. Just let her do her tests and go home."

June nodded frantically and Beastboy silently submitted to the testing. It was actually a sobering event for him- Charlie and the others were so friendly with him that he'd almost forgotten that whoever they worked for was likely a very bad person. Who had very bad plans for him. As he slid into the CAT-Scan, Beastboy suddenly felt very afraid- the kind of fear he'd thought he'd left in Sunnyside Hospital. He concentrated on the calming exercises he'd learned in therapy and continued them throughout the long, long battery of tests.

They weren't much help. Not even the pain of the blood or marrow extractions could entirely take his mind off his circumstances.

A/N  
A bit of joy and a bit of sadness. Such is life.

As promised here are some…

TITAN TIPS!

_Jimmy Exposition sez PLEASE NOTE: All tips reflect the personal experience and opinions of the author. Please treat them as such._

Hey, Jimmy, do you mind? I'm trying to work here.

_Jimmy Expositions sez: Sorry, but it had to be said._

Yes, yes, thank you. Now go back to your sewer, or whatever. Sheesh. MOVING ON!

1)Do Your Research

Consider this the big tip, the Eleventh Commandment. Let's say your story is about one of the Titans being put into a coma in battle. Look up how a person can be placed into a coma, what kinds of treatments they're likely to receive, what sort of therapy they'll be facing afterwards. Doing so makes your story a bit more believable and that really helps the reader get immersed into it. In contrast, lack of research will always be noticed. To use our coma example, if the character springs from the hospital bed and rushes straight into battle, it can really kill the mood- turning a moment of heroic recovery into something from a bad soap opera.

2) Remember that you are writing about Superheroes:  
The Teen Titans are a group of heroes. This means that fighting crime is the primary focus of their lives. Whether it be by training, by patrolling or though pitched battles with evil, this part of their lives should always be a big part of the story. This doesn't mean that you can't write a love story or an angst piece but it DOES mean that you should at the very least reference their lives as heroes. Toss in a battle against an ineffectual villain to act as comedy relief (the Titans villains really lend themselves to this). Have your pair's first 'date' occur during a patrol through the city as they look for clues. Just remember that the battle against evil is a huge part of their lives and shouldn't be ignored.

3) Avoid Clichés as much as possible. If you must use them, subvert them.

I can't tell you how many stories on this website boil down to either "The Titans are ordinary teens in an ordinary school" or "the Titans meet a girl with Mysterious Powers ™ and a Dark Past ©". Try to be original- it's difficult to find ideas that haven't already been done (I've counted four stories where the Joker comes to Jump that were written before mine) but it's really rewarding both for you and the reader. If you do use the stock storylines, mix it up a little. Maybe it's a BABY with mysterious abilities that just turns up in the middle of town, and the Titans have to look after it, keep it from wrecking the Tower AND find its parents. Maybe the 'high school' is actually a trick by Brother Blood, Mad Mod or Control Freak to keep the Titans out of the way. The point is, strive to be different.

4) Build the World

One thing I've always found to be good in stories is when the author does a bit of world building- that is, when he or she fleshes out things the show left unexplained. For example, I thought it would be good to explain how the Titans get on and off their Island, so back in chapter twenty I made up the Jump City aquarium and its viewing tunnel. I'm not saying to write a full chapter about the guy who makes the Titans their pizza (although… hm….) but by fleshing out the setting you make the world of your story seem a bit more real. This is especially true for Teen Titans stories, since the show wasn't great about fleshing out the setting.

5) Original Characters

These can be really hard to use well, as it can be hard to keep them from becoming the stars of the story. After all, they're YOUR creations, so naturally you want to show them in the best light, with the best abilities and to give them the best dramatic moments. A (surprisingly) good OC can be found in the story These Black Eyes. Yeah, he's overpowered but the other Titans are given a lot of time to shine on their own.

The exception here is Original Villains. These often work really well, balancing out the Titans lackluster rogues gallery. Plus, if a villain seems to be way more powerful than the heroes, it just serves to build dramatic tension.

6) Spell check

I know, I know-I'm pretty bad about this myself, but it still needs to be said. Double check your spelling and grammar, because some mistakes can be pretty significant. When Raven is Meditating, she's achieving a state of balance through intense personal reflection and mental effort. When she's Mediating, she's acting as a moderator between two disputing parties. It's rather a large difference and one that drives me absolutely nuts.

7) Characterization is KEY

Unless you're writing an AU story, the characters you write should hew closely to the ones in the show or the comics. If the situation doesn't seem to fir the characters, then one or the other needs to change. Of course, everyone has their own interpretations, but what follows is how I view the characters

Beastboy:

Beastboy is at once the deepest and the shallowest character. He's been through more than any of the Titans- more suffering, more adventure, and more traveling. At the same time, he's very much a kid at heart with a slight tendency to whine. Don't overplay either side of him- he's a guy who's been through a lot, but refuses to let any of it get him down. In terms of intelligence, Beastboy's probably a lot smarter than he looks (he'd have to be) but has very little schooling. 'Book Dumb' is a good term.

The Beast is, in my view, nothing more or less than Beastboy's Id (to use the Freudian)- instinctive, untamed, and selfish but still fundamentally a part of him.

Starfire:

The term Team Mom fits Starfire- she cares for everyone and tries her best to look after them. She's extremely ignorant about human customs and conventions, but that is very different from being naïve or innocent. She grew up with Blackfire, so she probably knows a good deal about lying and betrayal. She's a member of a fierce warrior culture with a very open sexuality (in the comics) so Innocent doesn't really fit either. She's also very intelligent as can be seen by how WELL she's managed to fit into an alien culture which, believe me, ain't easy. She also speaks very formally, with no slang or contractions.

However, never forget that she is an alien. That doesn't just mean she's going to act weird or mispronounce words. It means that her biology and psychology are likely to be very different than what we call normal. Emphasize the little differences and she'll seem less like a strange human girl and more like an alien visitor.

Raven

Raven is pretty much the opposite of Bwastboy. She's well-educated, very mature and fundamentally Stoic (as in the philosophy). That being said she's lacking in what might be called Real World experience. Raised by monks, remember, so don't expect her to know a lot about relationships or finance or anything outside of what a Classical education would teach. She also has difficulty expressing herself, mainly due to her inability to express emotions. Her humor tends towards the dry and sarcastic, but shouldn't be cruel or bitter. Emphasize that her lifestyle isn't the one she'd like, it's the one she's stuck with.

Cyborg.

First off, include him- so many stories just gloss over the Metal Man's role in favor of Shippable characters. Cyborg has the biggest Identity issues of all (Man Vs Machine, Vic Stone vs Cyborg, etc.), and some pretty serious self esteem issues. He's also the Big Brother of the team- willing to lend a hand or an ear when needed but always ready to tease. He still has his own goals and his own life, though.

E) Robin:

Robin is the hardest to pin down. The show's creators say he's kind of a blend of all three Robins, and I can see that. Dick Grayson's acrobatics and bad puns, Tim Drake's brusque leadership style and planning abilities, and Jason Todd's trust issues and brooding attitude. If you decide (as I did) to focus on just one 'Robin', be consistent. Don't make your 'Dick Grayson' brooding and dark, for example. Remember that while Robin is a hardass (no matter who's behind the mask), it's because he wants his team to succeed. Think Drill Sergeant not Sadist.

F) Terra

Hoo Boy. In the comics, Terra was everything the bashers claim: A heartless, slutty bitch who used the Titans for her own ends. In the show, she was made out to be less evil and more deceived- Slade's tool rather than his partner. Whichever version you choose, be consistent. Not much else to say.

And that's pretty much it. I hope you guys find these tips helpful.


	56. Chapter 56

The rest of the day passed fairly smoothly. The tension between Starfire and Tim's adopted siblings vanished when Tim summarized his discussion with the alien girl. Dick and Barbara accepted that Starfire's failure to discuss the problems inherent to her relationship with their little brother had not come from indifference or malice but from different cultural views. Apologies were made, and the couples parted on good terms. The rest of the team was relieved- though they didn't know the source of the tension, they had been fully aware that something was wrong, and they were pleased that whatever it was had been resolved.

At nine o'clock that night, the assembled heroes while Batman laid out his plans for the night.

"Tonight, I'm going to divide you into pairs to better cover the city. Cyborg and Starfire, I want you to search the Industrial Heights area for signs of Killer Croc- there've been reports of missing pets and vagrants in that area, and these are generally good indicators of his presence. Batgirl and Raven, you will sweep the docks- Mister Freeze needs large amounts of space and access to water to build and maintain his freezing apparatus. Finally, Robin and I will find the Riddler- we'll be searching through some of his old hideouts for any sign of him. Remember, if you find your target report in before taking further action. I believe all of you are capable heroes but it never hurts to be safe. Are there any questions?"

"I have one" Nightwing replied from his place near the Batcomputer. "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to run a few sweeps of the city in general" his mentor replied. "Keep an eye out for anything unusual and be ready to supply support, but more than that, I want you to watch over the city. Word of Crane's achievement may have reached the underworld by now, and the smaller players may feel that, with my attention diverted, they can do as they please. They must be disabused of this idea."

"Oh, don't worry about that" Nightwing replied airily, casually racking the knuckles of one fist. "I'm sure I'll be able to convince them; maybe appeal to their better natures."

"I also have a question" Starfire said carefully, shooting nervous glances at Nightwing. "Why are we to be split up at all? Would it not be better if I were to work with Robin, and you were to work with Cyborg? I do not object to working with Cyborg at all, but it seems to me that each team should have one member who is familiar with this city."

Batman nodded. "True, but I chose these teams for a reason. Robin and myself have the most experience with the Riddler- we are familiar with his thought patterns and have experience with his puzzles. You and Cyborg are the most powerful close quarters fighters, which means you'll be able to battle Killer Croc most effectively. But you also possess formidable ranged combat abilities, meaning you'll also be able to take him out before he can fight back. Finally, Cyborg's enhanced senses will be vital in tracking Croc through the sewers, his favorite hiding place. Lastly, the team of Raven and Batgirl will be sent after Mister Freeze due to that villain's penchant for large numbers of henchmen- both girls are well-suited to battling large groups of assailants. However, due to Raven's sensitivity to the mentally ill, she should avoid direct contact with Mister Freeze himself and restrict herself to battling his thugs. If that is all, we'll begin preparations for the night."

The team spent another hour making themselves ready for the nights work. While the native Gothamites prepared their arsenals and vehicles, their friends from Jump City went over dossiers containing information about their targets for the evening. Eventually, they were ready and the teams headed for their respective rides. Batman and Robin took the Batmobile, Cyborg, Starfire and Nightwing rode one of Batman's spare cars (a jet black sedan with no license plate) and Raven and Batgirl departed on her motorcycle.

Batgirl stopped her bike once they reached the outskirts of Gotham's vast waterfront district. Raven gratefully stepped off the bike- she didn't much like the noise or the speed which accompanied motorcycles and found it a relief to be back on her own feet. Once Batgirl had secured her ride behind a pile of discarded shipping containers, the two heroines began their search. Reasoning that height would provide a better chance of spotting their quarry, Raven carried them up to the roof of the nearest warehouse building. From there the two began to move silently down the docks- Batgirl leaping and swinging from building to building while Raven slowly floated over the street. They moved slowly, keeping an eye out for anything or anyone unusual.

After more than two hours of searching, Batgirl signaled to Raven to approach. The empathy slowly lowered herself down to rooftop level and shot her partner a questioning look. Batgirl pointed down at a small building on the street below them.

"There" she said "Saw a man enter wearing thick winter coat and gloves. Think it worth checking?"

Raven wiped the sweat from her brow. "Given that it must be eighty degrees out and humid, I'd have to say yes. What sort of question is that?"

"Joke" Batgirl replied, sheepishly. "Trying sarcasm."

"Mmph. Keep trying." Raven said as she enveloped them both in a telekinetic field and lowered them to ground level.

Approaching the building- which was really more of a shack- the girls examined it minutely. It was a standard pre-fab building, the sort which is frequently used on construction sites as a temporary office suite. From its size, it appeared to contain three or perhaps four small rooms. Placing her hand at the bottom of the door, Batgirl could feel an unnatural cold draft wafting from inside. She quickly imparted this information to Raven, who immediately triggered her communicator.

"Raven to Oracle. We believe we have found one of Mister Freeze's henchmen. We've cornered him in a small building at the docks, near the" here Raven paused to glance up at the nearest large warehouse "Kelperman Rug Importers warehouse. It seems unlikely that Mister Freeze himself is here, so we are going in. Do you have any instructions?"

"Oracle here." Came the reply. "No special instructions- capture the henchman and interrogate him. Freeze rarely shares any of his cryotechnology with his goons, but be alert for conventional arms. Report back to me once you've questioned him. Oracle out."

"All right, let's go in." Rave said, closing her communicator and lowering her hood.

"Both?" Batgirl replied quizzically. "Think it better if we split up- I go in to capture him, you wait outside in case he runs. Or has back up."

Raven shook her head. "Batgirl, if the last few months have taught me anything it's that it can be dangerous to underestimate an opponent. For one thing, he may be well-armed or have partners waiting inside. For another, something about this doesn't seem right."

"What you mean?" Batgirl asked as she sized up the door and reached into her utility belt for a lock pick.

"I mean, why is that building so cold?" Raven asked. "The only answer that makes any sense is that Mister Freeze himself is in there, but from what the files told me it's far too small for his needs"

Batgirl paused in the act of inserting her lockpick. "That's…true." She said. "Not thought of it that way. Okay. Together. But carefully and quietly."

The lock offered a few seconds resistance and the door opened onto a nearly pitch black room. The two girls linked hands, too avoid separation before entering. Their first step carried them onto a woven rug… which vanished as the floor slid away beneath their feet, depositing them on a sharply angled ramp leading underground. The sudden shift in angle, combined with the thin coating of ice which covered the ramp, caused the young heroines to lose their footing and slide helplessly down into the darkness. Above, the floor slid back into position, sealing the exit.

Raven couldn't tell how long she'd been sliding down the ramp. Her mind told her that it couldn't have been more than ten or fifteen seconds, but her body insisted that- as cold and sore as it felt- it must have been much longer than that. Nevertheless, eventually the ramp ended and the two girls crashed onto the floor in a heap.

"Batgirl?" Raven said, rubbing her head and looking around for her partner "are you okay?"

"Be fine" Came the muffled reply. "Soon as you get your butt off my face."

Raven scrambled to her feet and forced down her embarrassment. "Sorry." She said as soon as she felt in control. In an attempt to change the subject, she raised her communicator to her ear.

"Raven to Oracle, we'" She was cut off by a tremendous burst of static from her communicator which set her hair on end. Clicking the device off as fast as possible, she turned to her partner. "What's wrong with it?"

"Probably blocked." Batgirl replied as she rubbed her shoulders. "Titans communicators not made to go too far underground. Would use mine, but it broke in crash. Someone landed on it. Someone who needs a diet."

Raven blushed and scowled at the same time, but couldn't get too angry. Batgirl's tone indicated that the quiet girl was trying to lighten a bad situation with humor- albeit poor and insulting humor- and that no actual harm was meant. "So what now?"

Batgirl shivered and blew on her hands. "First need to do something about cold. Must be below freezing here. Forty below at least. This my summer uniform- can't handle that sort of cold."

Raven concentrated for a moment and a thin layer of dark energy enveloped the pair. Immediately, they both began to warm up. Opening her eyes, Raven gave Batgirl a nod. "There. That should be enough to protect us from the cold all night if need be- it doesn't take much energy for me to hold it up. Now what? I could teleport us out, if you think that's wise."

Batgirl shook her head. "No. Freeze knows we're here. If we leave, he'll move his base. May not be able to find it again so easily. Better to proceed." The girls looked around them to get some idea of where they were. They seemed to be in the middle of a very long corridor. The path ahead and behind them both seemed to stretch on forever. Batgirl held up a hand and pointed behind them. "Breeze coming from that direction. As good a way as any."

The pair proceeded in silence for some minutes until Raven spotted something. Putting out a hand to stop Batgirl, she pointed to where someone had written something on the wall using what looked like black marker. It read:

_Don't go this way it's a ded end. Just a big fan. This place is a mays._

_-Davey_

Raven glanced at Batgirl and tapped the message. "Do you think it's real? Or a trick?"

Batgirl considered this before shaking her head. "Why bother with trick? We're trapped. Assume it's real. Go the other way."

Turning around the girls walked on. Eventually they came to a place where the corridor branched off into three paths. Raven turned to Batgirl, who shrugged and pointed to the right most path. "Good a choice as any."

However, they'd gone no further than ten feet before spotting another message on the wall.

_This paths no gud. It circles around and the second corridors the exit. Left choice seems best. _

_-Davey  
_

The girls headed back and began down the left most path. As they went, Raven asked a question that had been bothering her for a while. "How did Freeze build a maze this big under the city in so short a time? Why did he even bother?"

"How is easy" Batgirl replied "Gotham built on top of Gotham. During Cold War, government built lots of secret bunkers all around the city. Forgot them afterwards. Easy enough to fix one up. Why is also easy. Perfect defense. Intruders get lost and freeze to death. If not, Freeze has plenty of time to be ready for them."

"So we're walking into a trap" Raven said, matter-of-factly.

Batgirl gestured to the winding corridor behind them. "Not much else we can do. No way out. Can't stay here. Need to go forward and hope we're ready."

The girls continued through the winding maze, aided by periodic notes from the mysterious 'Davey', warning them about dead ends and wrong turns ahead. Though both girls were in good shape, the hours spent walking the massive labyrinth began to take their toll and they could feel their physical strength beginning to wane. Eventually, they came to a long straight corridor. Slumped against one wall was the frozen corpse of a vagrant. His skin was puffy and blue, while his fingers were black with frostbite. Above him a final message was scrawled.

_Theres a door ahead but its lokked. I cant turn back and I cant go on- im just too cold. Tell my famly im sorry. I dint mean to hert them- I just wasn't strong enuf to stop_

_-David Cooper_

"Poor man. Probably wandered in for shelter. Got lost. Remember the name- we'll inform the police later." Batgirl said, breaking the icy crust on his skin to close his eyes. Turning to Raven, she saw the empathy rubbing her head. "You okay?"

"I- I don't know" Raven answered. "It's getting harder to use my powers, like something was draining them away. I think Freeze's presence is interfering with my powers. If we're going forward, we'd better do it now."

Batgirl nodded and approached the door. After a quick check to ensure that it wasn't reinforced she kicked violently at the upper right corner, where she estimated the hinge to be. Immediately, the door's hinges – weakened as they were by the extreme cold- snapped completely. The doorcrashed to the floor, revealing a large and well-equipped laboratory, much colder than the rest of the lair. Ice covered much of the floor, and thick icicles hung from numerous places on the ceiling. The room was lit by bare fluorescent lights which caused a harsh glare from the icy room. On every table were copies of Freeze's trademark weapon in various stages of disassembly.

The two heroines had only a split second to take in this detail however, as a coruscating beam of blue energy lanced out from the far corner of the room. Raven was hit almost immediately, and within a second her body was encased in ice up to her shoulders. Batgirl, drawing on her long experience in battling Mister Freeze, was able to dodge for a few moments but eventually her fatigue and the cold of the chamber caused her to slow, and the beam encased her in ice as well.

It was then that Raven noted something that should have filled her with fear- she was unable to use her powers. It wasn't a question of being unable to assert control of them, as had occasionally happened before. Nor was it a case of her emotions being too strong and chaotic to be harnessed, as occurred in her encounters with the Joker. It was as though someone had flipped a switch and turned off both her powers and her emotions. She was unable even to feel much fear at this prospect. She could only watch with mild anxiety as a tall figure made its way across the room, its heavy metallic footsteps resonating like thunder.

"So, there are only two of you. It was exceedingly foolish of you to venture into my domain alone." Mister Freeze said, and Raven noticed that his voice was utterly devoid of any feeling whatsoever. "I must know what brought you here. Certainly, I have done nothing as yet to warrant the Bat's attentions. Tell me, now, and your deaths will be swift."

Raven decided to answer- which was in itself a struggle, as the intense cold was beginning to slow her thoughts and set her teeth to chattering. "W-We n-n-need information on Sc-Scarecrow. H-h-he kidnapped one of the T-T-Ta-Titans."

"Ah." Freeze said, nodding his head as though confirming something. "I see. So. That is what Crane was bragging about."

"Wh-What?" Raven said, forcing herself to focus. "Y-You know something?"

"I know many things." Freeze replied. "For instance, I know that soon you will be dead. In approximately twenty minutes, the cold in this room combined with the ice encasing your body will cause you to experience hypothermic shock. Your body will slowly shut down, eventually causing your heart to stop. None of which is my concern."

"P-please!" Raven begged, defying the cold and forcing herself to speak clearly. "If you know where h-he took my… friend, then you must tell us!"

"No." Freeze replied, his voice as icy and flat as ever. Turning away, he holstered his weapon and strode towards a work bench. "I owe you nothing girl, and your suffering is no less than what you and the whole world deserve. Besides, I have seen the news reports- the Titan reported as missing, this Beast Boy, is nothing but a fool and a clown. The world is better for his loss."

"NO!" Raven cried. As the cold began to overwhelm her brain, she found herself babbling more to the frozen fiend than she ever wanted to. "He's more than that! He's a brave friend and a good man! He reaches out to everyone and treats them equally no matter what! He… he reached out to me, and became my friend, my lover, despite what I am. He- he makes me feel alive, and warm, and loved. He, he…"

"He brings the spring into your life" Freeze said, quietly. For the first time, Raven could hear a trace of emotion- envy? Regret? Sadness? All of those at once?- in his voice. Turning back towards her, he strode forward until he was only a foot away. Leaning forward, the blue skinned former scientist said: "Be very still. This will likely hurt a great deal."

Latching on to the ice that encased much of the gray girl's body, Freeze dug the fingers of his metal suit into the ice and pulled. With a crack, the icy cocoon split in two, freeing Raven from its grip (and tearing off what felt like a layer of skin. The young empathy collapsed to the floor in a shivering heap. Freeze strode over to a locker and pulled out a battery powered heater. Returning to Raven's side, he switched it on and knelt down beside her.

"Listen to me carefully girl. I, too, once had someone who brought spring into my life- a warm-hearted Persephone to my cold-hearted Hades. She is lost to me now, lost forever, but it is not too late for you to save your own. Because of this, I will aid you." Freeze paused for a moment, and when he spoke again it was in his previous emotionless tone. "Crane told me that he would be staying off the streets for some time, as he had a project which would be keeping him very busy. Moreover, he asked me where he might find laboratory equipment of exceedingly low weight. When I asked why, he replied that his current lair could not support a great deal of weight. Wherever he is, I believe he will be somewhere high up, and I believe that he will be well hidden. That is all I can tell you. I will free your friend and then I will depart. Tell Batman of this lair if you wish, by the time he arrives I will be long gone."

Raven nodded and then focused on warming herself in front of the small (but surprisingly powerful) heater. She heard the sound of shattering ice, and noticed Freeze dumping Batgirl in front of the heater. Forcing herself to stay awake, she heard Freeze's footsteps retreating from the room, taking with him (presumably) his various weapons.

Almost as soon as he departed, she felt her powers beginning to return, as well as her emotions. Fear, happiness and embarrassment warred within her psyche, but she dominated them by pure will. Reaching over to Batgirl she saw that the masked girl was in fair shape, and that she herself had suffered little in the way of physical trauma. After healing a few spots of frostbite, she closed her eyes and focused on the Batcave and with a burst of black energy, the two girls teleported away.

Alfred had been in the Batcave doing routine maintenance on the Batwing when he heard a sound like the cry of some monstrous bird. Racing into the main chamber, he found Batgirl and Raven collapsed on the floor, their clothes sopping wet and their skin dangerously pale. Raven turned to him and managed a weak smile.

"Glad it's you. Freeze got us pretty bad. Need… need to…" Raven trailed off and, her strength spent, fell forward into unconsciousness.

Alfred wasted not a moment, but sprang into action. Knowing from firsthand experience just how deadly Mister Freeze's ray could be, he hurriedly carried the girls to the medical bay. Once there, he prepared the heated bath units designed for precisely this purpose. Once that was done, he began to prepare the girls- first removing their wet clothing, then toweling off their skin (to remove any ice particles and to restore circulation) before placing them in the baths. That done, he headed upstairs to prepare some nourishment before contacting the others.

Raven awoke from a typically dreamless slumber to find herself lying in a warm bath, her head resting ona a thick layer of padding. Although everything below her neck was covered by the bathtubs metal lid, it wasn't long before she realized she was naked. She blushed momentarily at the implications of that, but reminded herself that the Englishman had been right to do just as he had done. Beside her, Batgirl sat in her own tub, sipping from a mug of tomato soup. Seeing her friend was awake, Cassie gestured to a mug of soup beside Raven's own tub.

After a few sips of soup, Raven offered her friend a small, sad smile. "SO that could have gone better."

"True." Cassie replied "Have a question. What happened to your powers?"

"Mister Freeze happened." Raven replied with a grimace.

"Like with Joker?" Cassie asked. Following the Joker's defeat, Raven had told her friends the truth about his effect on her. Despite a little anger, the Titans had accepted that Raven had been too embarrassed to tell them the truth at the time and the only consequences were a lecture on honesty (from Robin) and some light ribbing about the dangers of addiction (from Cyborg).

"No" Raven said, shaking her head and drinking some more soup. It really was quite good. "No, nothing like that. How can I explain it? Um. When I was first learning to use my powers in Azerath, my tutors compared them to a bonfire fueled by my emotions. IF I let the fire have too much fuel, it would burn out of control. If I give it too little it burned low. Being around the Joker was like having someone shoot gasoline onto the fire- my emotions got too strong to be controlled. Being around Freeze was like throwing a bucket of water onto the fire- it doused both my powers and my emotions."

"Interesting." Came a voice from the other side of the room. Whirling her head around, Raven was surprised to see the Dark Knight seated in a chair in the far corner of the room.

"How long have you been there?" She asked sharply, feeling exposed despite the fact that her body was sealed from sight.

"Long enough to be sure you were both all right" Batman replied. "Now, report"

A/n

Longish.

Hypothermia victims are often given hot baths as soon as their wet clothing can be removed. I have no idea if this is standard practice, but the ones I saw were indeed kept lidded to maintain a constant temperature, with just the victims head being exposed.

I can see Mister Freeze doing what he did in this chapter. After all, the only thing he cares about is his wife Nora, so an appeal from someone in a similar position might just work.

No, neither Batman nor Alfred are perverts, they're just doing what they felt was necessary.


	57. Chapter 57

Cyborg was coming to realize just how badly he'd been spoiled by the T-Car. His baby had been purpose built for crime-fighting by one of the best mechanical engineers on the West Coast (even if he did say so himself). It had every gadget and convenience that a young vigilante might need- nitro-boosters, bleeding edge engine, superior handling abilities, advanced sensor and tracking equipment, a wide selection of offensive and defensive capabilities, plus the best communication equipment he could buy or build. However, he'd had his wheeled wonder for so long that he'd started taking it for granted, forgetting what a marvel of modern technology and engineering it really was. Now, though, he swore he'd treat his baby with the respect- nay, the REVERENCE- it deserved.

The reason behind this epiphany was his vehicle for the night's patrol. Batman had been very clear that, Titan or not, Cyborg was not getting behind the wheel of the Batmobile. Cyborg had no real complaint with this edict- after all, the Batmobile was unique on this earth, and the only car he'd ever heard of which might possibly be superior to the T-Car. So he'd allowed the Dark Knight to lead him to the reserve garage without any complaint, there to select a car from Batman's fleet. Over the years, Batman had been in any number of situations which required him to use vehicles which were less noticeable than his trademark car. As such, he had a number of specially modified cars which appeared to be ordinary civilian vehicles.

Cyborg had moved at first to a top-of-the-line Italian sports car, eager to take advantage of the rare opportunity to try it. However, the Dark Knight had vetoed this choice, pointing out that Iron Heights was a poor neighborhood and the cherry red racing machine would be badly out of place. Cyborg had then moved on to an elderly yet still comfortable luxury car, reasoning that the age of the model would prevent it from being too noticeable in the impoverished area. But Batman had again refused his choice, stating that Cyborg's choice had not been modified for a prolonged manhunt and lacked tracking equipment. Finally, the Dark Knight led him to his current ride: a lime green, battered and rusty sedan, which was at least as old as he was.

Oh, he'd freely grant that the car contained superb tracking gear- with everything from an advanced GPS to thermal-scanners to a sonar system to scan underground. He also had to admit that it fit into the sad environment that was Iron Heights perfectly. But that didn't change the fact that it was a slow, noisy, uncomfortable and downright ugly car, and that he was ashamed to be driving around in it. Even Starfire had remarked on the car's "unusual appearance" and "uncomfortable and pointy seats". But the alien girl couldn't truly appreciate just how humiliating it was for a real car lover to drive this miserable bucket of bolts. But, in Gotham City the word of the Bat was law, and so it was that the two young heroes found themselves driving through the run-down industrial area known as Iron Heights at two o'clock in the morning.

The scenery didn't do much to improve their mood, either. The area, once the beating heart of Gotham's industrial center, was filled with large factories and warehouses along with a number of ancient tenement buildings for workers. With the shift in manufacturing away from Gotham, the neighborhood had fallen on hard times- the factories now served primarily as drug dens and squatters residences. The law abiding residents cowered behind locked doors at night, hoping that no one would notice them. In short, it was a horrible piece of urban blight and the perfect hunting ground for a cannibalistic crocodile man. Already, there had been rumors of disappearances among the local homeless population- which is why Cyborg stopped the car outside of a storefront-cum-crack house.

Activating his holo-ring, Cyborg turned to his teammate. "I'm going to go in and see if anyone knows anything about Croc or the disappearances. I want you to stay out here- places like this are usually under someone's protection, and I want you to make sure that no one interrupts me."

"I understand. I shall guard your flank, my friend." Starfire said, relieved that she wouldn't have to enter the decrepit building. The air of despair and hopelessness emanating from the drug den reminded her altogether too much of the Psion's prison where she had been imprisoned- she had trouble believing that anyone would enter such a place willingly. Indeed, this entire section of the city seemed to be one giant Agho'ra- a pit of gloom and misery. Of course, it wasn't entirely the scenery which had her feeling low, as her cycle had begun the week before, and was now at its pinnacle. Her body was currently in the full grip of hormones, and the current crisis meant that her boyfriend would be unwilling to help her at this time meaning that the next few days would be a period of intense frustration. This, combined with the tension with Tim's siblings which had only broken the previous day, and the continued absence of one of her dearest friends had left her feeling less than glorious to begin with. She reminded herself that her current troubles would pass in time; they would leave this neighborhood, her cycle would pass, Beastboy would be found and all would once more be well. Focusing on this thought, she continued to scan the street for any possible danger. Although, now that she thought about it, there was one thing she needed to do as soon as possible.

After a time, Cyborg reemerged from the building, his face grim. Entering the vehicle, he removed his ring and started the engine.

"Okay, I have a lead" he said, his voice tight. "Some of the more coherent crackheads say that their friends have been disappearing around the old brewery on Mercer Avenue. We'll head over there before and plan out our next steps"

As they drove towards the old brewery, Starfire tapped her friend on the arm. "Cyborg, I would like to speak to you when we return to the manor" She said, not meeting his gaze.

"C'mon Star" Cyborg replied, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "Y'know you can talk to me anytime. Ain't like I got a lot else goin' on right now."

"No, I fear I cannot, not about this." Starfire said, her voice softer than before. "I wish to speak to you regarding a medical issue."

Cyborg stopped the car and whirled to look at his friend. "Starfire, are you feelin' okay? Are you sick? Oh man, you're sick! It's this city, I know it- the air here is so polluted it barely qualifies as vapor anymore..."

"No! No!" Starfire laughed, gladdened by her friends concern. "I am well, I assure you. I simply have… questions regarding my… my compatibility with Robin."

"Compatibility? You two get along great" Cyborg was puzzled. It wasn't like Starfire to be this hesitant when talking about her relationship with Robin. Unless that wasn't the sort of compatibility she meant… "Star, do you mean, y'know…sexual compatibility?"

"I do." Starfire said with a nod. "Our species are so very different after all, and I wish to be certain that we can fully and safely celebrate our love together. Robin does not know of this request and I do not wish for him to find out- you humans are so uncomfortable discussing the subject, and he might be hurt or embarrassed."

"Don't worry, Star, I'll use my Medic Mode for the conversation." Cyborg reassured her. Early in the Titans career, it became apparent that Cyborg was the only person qualified to serve as a doctor for the team. With his cybernetic mind, he could easily hold vast quantities of information regarding the unique individuals on the team as well as the ability to master numerous medical specialties. However, no one on the team was comfortable baring all of their secrets to a team mate- especially when that team mate was of the opposite gender. Therefore, Cyborg had created a sub-section of his memory to be used for medical examinations. The information stored there was as safe as could be but could not be accessed by his conscious mind outside of what he called Medic Mode. Thus, he could serve as Raven's OB/GYN, or give Beastboy a thorough physical, and then seal off the details in this hidden file, guaranteeing his friend's privacy even from himself. As time went on, his friends had taken to using this as a way of unburdening themselves of secrets, and Cyborg had willingly gone along with it- to his way of thinking , helping his friends ease their minds without affecting their privacy fell firmly under the heading of caring for their health.

"I thank you, my friend" Starfire said, reassured that her friend would keep her confidence. "Let us resume our search."

Soon, the pair arrived at the enormous and dilapidated Four Star Brewery. Once, the facility had produced thousands of bottles of beer every day, and had shipped its product all around the United States. However, a few years before, Poison Ivy had poisoned the beer just before it left the brewery. Only a few people had been killed, but the company's reputation was irrevocably tainted, and the brewery was soon shut down as its owners filed for bankruptcy. Now, it languished untended, the remaining machinery slowly rusting and falling apart.

Cyborg was not eager to begin searching the place. For one thing, it was huge and would take a great deal of time to search properly. For another, it was dangerous- the building looked like it could crumble to pieces at any time, to say nothing of the machinery within. Finally, the brewery had a number of exits and entrances, meaning their quarry could easily slip away while they searched.

Starfire, however, saved him the trouble. As she prepared to enter the building, she scanned the surrounding area for possible threats. By chance, she saw a massive shadow ducking away into a nearby side street. "There!" She cried "I have seen something!" The two heroes raced down the side street, which came to a dead end in front of a large wall. Directly in front of this was an open manhole.

Starfire hesitated before turning to Cyborg with uncertainty in her eyes. "I fear the beast has retreated underground, to the foul smelling tunnels beneath the city. Should we pursue him?"  
Cyborg nodded. "We have to catch him, Star- he might know where Scarecrow's holdin' Beastboy. But I don't think you should go underground with me. For one thing, your main assets in combat are your starbolts and your flying- both of which'll be useless in the sewers. For another, one of us needs to stay above ground, to make sure Croc doesn't escape that way."

"I see" the alien girl responded, nodding her head. "But how will I know where you are?"

In response, Cyborg took her communicator and pressed a button on the back. The familiar 'T' logo disappeared, replaced by a glowing arrow which pointed directly at him, underscored by a small zero.

"I added this after my first patrol with Batman, once I saw for myself how confusing the streets of this city really are." Cyborg said as he handed the device back to Starfire. "It's basically a short-range tracker, calibrated to follow the signal from my communicator. The arrow will give you my direction, and below that is the distance. Try to stay within about twenty or thirty feet of my position at all times, that way you'll be in a position to help if I need backup. Stay in the air, too, so you'll be able to spot him if he does get out. I modified our communicators last night so that they'll be able to work underground- I would have done the same for everyone else's but there wasn't time. Hope no one gets into trouble because of that."

"I doubt anyone will blame you, my friend" Starfire responded with a smile. "It is unlikely that either of the other teams will need to pursue their quarry below ground."

Cyborg grinned back. "Yeah, I can't really see Mister Freeze or the Riddler hangin' out in a sewer. Now, remember to keep your eyes open for Croc while I'm below ground."

"Understood" Starfire replied "but I feel we should proceed with caution- I am told that the tunnels beneath Gotham are huge, and it would be easy for you to become lost."

Cyborg smiled confidently and tapped the metal side of his head. "Already covered- I downloaded the city's maps of the sewers and rigged up a basic map program. I should know exactly where I am at all times."

Having readied himself as much as he was able, and unable to procrastinate any further, the metal man stepped down into the manhole. His first impression was that it didn't smell as bad as he'd expected it to- it stank, certainly, but no worse than Raven's last attempt at cooking. The next thing he noticed was just how big the tunnels were; Gotham was a very old city, and much of the original sewer system had been constructed in the old spacious style, wide as the streets above and high ceilings. Consoling himself that at least he wouldn't have to spend the night crouching, Cyborg activated his thermal tracking and scanned the area.

A moment's examination of the surrounding yielded a faint trail, the warmth of human footprints standing out against the cool stone of the walkway. Cyborg followed after it, pausing only to convert his left arm to sonic cannon mode- the crocodile man's viciousness was the subject of urban legend, and it was best to take no chances.

A few minutes of travel brought him to a massive section of sewer, clearly the meeting between several streets. Cyborg paused in his search- it wouldn't do to move forward too quickly, and risked getting separated from his partner above. Triggering his communicator, he spoke into the small circle.

"Starfire, can you hear me?" he asked. Inwardly, he tensed- his alterations to the communicators had been improvised pretty hastily, and he wasn't a hundred percent sure they'd work.

"I can" Came the reply, a little tinny but clear enough. "I am almost directly above you. Are you well?"

"As well as I can be." Cyborg said, carefully stepping around a pool of… well, probably best to call it water. "This place is nasty."

There was a moment of silence, and for a second Cyborg feared he'd lost the signal, before Starfire spoke again. "I fear I have misunderstood. The sewer has been rude or evil?"

Cyborg stifled a laugh before answering. "Naw, it's slang Star. Means this place is disgusting."

"Ah, I see." He could tell the alien girl was making a mental note of the term. "This was to be expected, yes? Have you seen any sign of Killer Croc?"

"I'm following a trail through the sewer's maintenance path- I think it's recent enough to be Croc's but down here it's almost impossible to tell." Cyborg said, heaving a weary sigh as he continued along the trail. "The conditions make it hard to tell how long it… OH, great! Now the trails gone entirely."

"Cyborg, why would Killer Croc leave a trail through the sewers?" Starfire asked, worry evident in her voice.

"He couldn't help it , Star. My scanners tracked the heat left by his footsteps" Cyborg replied, looking around the area for more clues.

"No, what I mean is… he is at least as comfortable in the water as on the land, correct? Why then would he bother walking at all?"

Cyborg stopped dead, and his eye widened in fear. "He wouldn't. Not unless he was laying a trap. Star, quick I need you to-"

But Cyborg was cut off, for at that moment Killer Croc exploded from the water and hurled Cyborg against the wall. The impact knocked the communicator from his hand, and he watched in horror as it bounced away from him down the walkway. Before he could dive for it, a massive scaled fist crashed into the human side of his head. Cyborg reeled from the impact, momentarily dizzied by the force of the blow, before being yanked forward and almost off his feet. The massive mutant leaned forward, treating Cyborg to the smell of his breath- rotting meat, sewer water and God only knew what else.

"So, this is who the Bat sent after me, huh?" Killer Croc growled "A metal kid. But I can smell the meat inside of you, kid, and I'm still hungry. But first I'll get rid of that little popgun of yours."

Suiting word to action, the monster grasped the barrel of the sonic cannon and squeezed. The cannon, unlike most of Cyborg's systems, was his own creation added long after the accident that had ruined more than half his body. He had built it himself, using the best materials he had been able to find. As Killer Croc crushed the weapon in one hand, Cyborg saw plainly that his best hadn't been quite good enough.

But Cyborg was determined not to give in so easily. Ignoring the pain from his damaged hand, he swung his head forward, slamming the metallic portion of his skull into his assailants face with as much force as he could. Killer Croc reeled backward, spitting out blood and bits of teeth.

"Hsssshh" the mutant hissed, glaring at Cyborg through yellow eyes. "That HURT, little boy. I'm going to eat you alive for that!"

With a roar, Croc charged at his young opponent, seizing his by the shoulders and throwing him off the walkway. Cyborg let out a shout of shock and disgust as he landed in the thick mixture of water and human waste, but took control of himself. No matter what his surroundings he had to stay focused, as he was fighting for his life. Croc wasted no time in pursuing him, and the battle soon became a grappling match.

Cyborg knew he was at a severe disadvantage in this fight. For one thing, his fighting had always generally been a striking style, focused on landing blows rather than on grappling. In contrast, Waylon Jones had been a wrestler before his disease had turned him into Killer Croc. Furthermore, the pair were standing waist-deep in liquid, which hindered his movements and prevented him from changing the nature of the struggle. As a result of these factors, Croc was quickly able to take control of the fight, and it was only Cyborg's superior strength that kept him from being overcome.

Eventually, after several minutes of struggle, Croc saw his chance. Cyborg had shifted his weight wrong- not a lot, but enough to put the metal teenager slightly off balance and give Croc an opening. An experienced wrestler, Croc knew the mistake wouldn't last long, but it didn't need to. With a roar, Croc twisted his torso and hurled Cyborg onto his back, before throwing himself on top of him, pinning the younger man beneath the foul water and wrapping his clawed hands around his throat.

Cyborg struggled to control his panic. Despite the numerous cybernetic enhancements and grafts in his body, his lungs were still mostly human, which meant they needed air. Ordinarily, he'd have been able to hold his breath until he could throw off his opponent and regain his footing, but the jolt of crashing down in the disgusting sewer water had caused him to gasp out a good deal of air. Coupled with the way he'd exerted himself fighting Croc, his body was in desperate need of oxygen. In desperation he flung one arm out and groped for something- anything- that might help him.

After what seemed like an eternity, his hand closed on something hard and heavy. Based on its size and weight, he guessed it was a piece of stone or concrete which had been dislodged from the wall. It wasn't an ideal choice, but it would have to do. Diverting as much power as he could spare to that arm, he swung his improvised weapon into the side of Croc's skull. The huge man shuddered under the blow, but his grip remained firm. So Cyborg hit him again.

And again.

And again.

After five blows- any one of which would have cracked the skull of an ordinary man- Cyborg was beginning to despair, when he felt the weight on top of him shifting and then vanishing. Pushing himself upright and taking a huge gulp of sweet, welcome sewer air, Cyborg saw Croc staggering dizzily away. The murderous mutant was shaking his head, clearly trying to clear his mind, but Cyborg had no intention of letting him do so. Charging forward, he landed a terrific uppercut square on the monsters jaw, lifting him up and sending him crashing into the wall where he slid down, unconscious.

Back aboveground, Starfire was worried. Her friend had stopped speaking very abruptly, and had not answered any of her attempts to reach him. This would not normally have been a problem, as a prolonged search often required silence. However, her tracking device indicated that he had not moved more than a few feet in the last ten minutes. Her first instinct had been to go down and check on her friend. But experience told her that this would be a poor idea. For one thing, it would give their quarry an opportunity to escape. For another, Cyborg had been right when he'd pointed out that she was ill-suited to fighting in small spaces. Finally, if her friend were in danger, and she went in to help him she would be facing the beast alone. Instead, she would give her friend five more minutes before she contacted Oracle for backup.

From one side she heard the sound of metal scraping across concrete. She whirled to face it, a starbolt ready in each hand. She was surprised to see Cyborg emerging g from a manhole, dragging behind him an enormous scaly humanoid. Swooping down, she helped her friend carry the unconscious villain.

"Well, that was fun" Cyborg said. His tone indicated that he was using what humans called 'Sar-gasm', and she realized that had not been fun at all.

"Let us take him to the police , and then… perhaps… you could shower?"

Cyborg gave a weary smile. "I stink huh?"

"Badly. I am sorry."

A/N  
Hoping to make up for lateness with an extra-long chapter. Did it work?

Two things about this chapter gave me problems. First, Killer Croc's strength hasn't been settled by DC. In some comics/cartoons he's shown as being superhumanly strong, able to bend steel bars with his bare hands. In others, he's just a very strong man. So I decided to err on the side of awesome and make him equal in strength to Cyborg.

The second problem was the action. Let's be honest here: Fight scenes ain't my forte. I know that, and I'm trying to improve it. This chapter underwent a lot of revision and reworking as I tried to make the fight better. This is the best I could do, for better or for worse.

Thanks for your patience!


	58. Chapter 58

The week that followed was one of intense frustration for the Titans and the Bat clan both. Despite all their efforts at flushing him out, there was still no sign of the Riddler anywhere in Gotham. For a time, Batman had entertained the possibility that perhaps his quarry had fled the city- the Riddler, unlike so many of Batman's foes, had no particular obsession with Gotham or its citizens, and had been known to work in other cities at times. But there had been no sign of him anywhere in North America, at least not according to the Justice League and the FBI. For whatever reason, the master puzzler had decided to go to ground for the time being. Unlike most Rogues, the Riddler possesed little in the way of habit when it came to selecting his hideouts, so there was little point to searching for him until they had some sort of lead on his location and plans. Given the Riddler's obsession with besting the Dark Knight with his puzzles, it would only be a matter of time.

As a result, the team was forced to search for other methods of locating their lost comrade. Cyborg and Oracle collaborated to monitor the major chemical producers and importers in Gotham City, hoping to catch Scarecrow as he assembled the ingredients for his trademark fear toxin. Batman and Nightwing pressed every informant and stoolie they had in the city, while Robin and Batgirl scoured the city for any sign or rumor of Crane. Raven spent much of her time on the psychic plane, searching for Beastboy. But all efforts came to naught, and the younger heroes were beginning to despair.

This changed slightly one morning, when Alfred reminded the team that the Wayne Charity Summer Gala was taking place in a few days.

"I am not asking you to cut off your search efforts" the Englishman assured them as he served breakfast. "Only Master Timothy will be required to attend- the rest of you should feel free to do so if you choose, but are under no obligation."

Tim brightened a bit at this news- in truth, even he was beginning to feel the stress of the heavy workload. "I think a bit of time off would do us all some good, Alfred. What do you think, guys?"

Raven shook her head and sipped her tea. "I think it's a good idea but I don't think I'll take part. You guys do need to relax- I've been sensing nothing but tension for days- but I don't think I'll really be able to relax until we find Gar."

"Same here- I'm really worried about the little grass stain. Crane's had him for months now and we've heard nothing- so I'm not really in a gala kinda mood." Cyborg said around a mouthful of toast. "Besides, I gotta keep an eye on the systems me and Oracle set up."

Cassie shrugged as she reached for another piece of fruit. "Don't like parties."

Tim turned to Starfire with a small grin. "Well, you aren't getting out of this Star. You already agreed to come with me"

Starfire smiled hugely. In truth, she had forgotten that- she had been so relieved that Tim would not be breaking up with her that everything else he had said had been ignored. Now she was greatly looking forward to the celebration. "I shall be delighted but where shall I obtain suitable clothing?"

"I believe I can be of some assistance there, your highness" Alfred said, removing her now empty mustard glass. "The Wayne family still has a standing account at several notable clothiers in Gotham. I shall prepare a short list of the finest choices for yourself and Miss Gordon and you may go to make your selections when you wish. In exchange, I would consider it a personal favor if you could ensure that Master Timothy does not attempt to hide in a corner for the entirety of the event this year."

Tim reddened as his girlfriend giggled. "I can't help it Alfred, these high society things make me a little nervous. I was born working class, and I'm still getting the hang of Bruce's social circle."

"Nevertheless, you must do your best" Alfred replied "You are, after all, the youngest ward of Bruce Wayne. As such you must be seen to support the Wayne Foundation and its charities, not only though donations but by participating fully in events such as these"

Starfire nodded. "It is the same on Tamaran. I attended many diplomatic events as a member of the royal family, and my attitude to the proceedings went a long way to determining how successful they were. It will not be enough to simply be physically present. You must be seen to be enthusiastic about this event, Tim, or otherwise it be interpreted as a lack of support for the cause."

"Quite so." Alfred agreed, smiling at his new ally. "This week's gala will benefit the pediatric wards of Gotham's various hospitals- a cause worthy of a show of enthusiasm, would you not agree Master Timothy?"

Outflanked, outmaneuvered and outnumbered, the Boy Wonder gave a weary nod. "I'll do my best."

"Glorious!" Starfire cried, clapping her hands. "Then I shall do the same! I shall ask Barbara to accompany me to procure my clothing this afternoon- friends Raven and Cassie, if you will not come to the gala, will you at least assist me in my shopping?"

Raven flinched away from her friend- Beastboy had had no business teaching the alien girl The Face. On him it was a mildly persuasive tactic, but on her it was a weapon of irresistible power despite her being unable to change into a kitten for the full effect. "Al- All right, Star. But we're only shopping for you- not for me or for Cassie."

Cassie nodded firmly. "Just you."

* * *

"Why? Why? Why did we agree to this?" Raven groaned as she sank into a leather chair, stretching out her legs as far as she could. It was now four in the afternoon and they'd been shopping for the last four hours. Starfire and Barbara had been insistent on the need to find just the right dress for the grand social event. As a result, she and Cassie had been dragged through a half dozen dress-makers and fashion emporia, forced to stand around while the pair sought their elusive quarry, all the while fending off attempts to get them fitted for dresses of their own.

"We're weak. Can't resist Starfire's pleading face." Cassie lied, taking off her shoes to rub her aching feet. She simply wasn't used to wearing civilian shoes- especially not high heels- but Barbara had been adamant that they had to wear their best to shop in these stores. So the two found themselves wearing skirts and heels and suffering in ways they had never imagined. "Wait here. Going to find snacks. Place like this usually has something on hand. You look through clothing for something Starfire would like. Sooner she finds her dress, sooner we go home."

Leaving her shoes and her friend behind, Cassie went off in search of sustenance. She still wasn't comfortable lying to Raven like this, but she had to admit that Starfire had had a point. Since arriving in Gotham, Raven had spent all of her time looking for Beastboy, training herself to exhaustion or secluding herself in her room. It wasn't healthy and it wasn't effective- without adequate 'downtime' Raven was becoming inefficient and sloppy. For this reason, Starfire had conceived of this shopping trip as a means of drawing their friend out. In addition to simply taking her outside of Wayne Manor, Cassie and Starfire had kept an eye on their friend all day. Whenever Raven's thoughts seemed to be drifting towards Beastboy they had arranged a distraction. Starfire would ask Raven's opinion of some item of clothing, or attempt to convince the empath to try on something herself. Cassie, less skilled in subterfuge then the princess of Tamaran, would simply ask Raven to do something for her- some small task which nevertheless required thought and care. So far, at least, it seemed to have worked. Raven had not had time to brood on her troubles or her absent love, and her mood seemed to be lightening (as much as it ever did).

Her keen senses led her to a plate of hors d'oeuvres left out by the management- a selection of cheeses cut into small cubes. Plucking a handful, she headed back to where she'd left Raven and was surprised to find the pale girl picking through a selection of dresses. She'd expected her friend to retreat into her own thoughts or into worries for her boyfriend once left alone, but apparently the distraction plan was working.

Reaching Raven's side, she tapped the empath on one shoulder and handed her a few cheese cubes. "Here. Eat up- been a long day. Find anything?"

"Well" Raven said after swallowing some cheese "I found a few dresses whose design she might like, but none in colors she'd like. They're all in black or white- Starfire likes brighter colors in her clothes."

Cassie shrugged. "So we keep looking."

Raven sighed as Starfire and Barbara approached, holding a pile of dresses each, their happiness plain to see. "We keep looking."

Finally, after another hour and a half of browsing, Starfire announced that she had found the perfect clothing for the ball. She had selected an elegant, spring green dress which complimented her eyes nicely, complete with matching gloves and shoes. Raven found the choice a bit odd, but was too relieved to be finished to really question it.

As they girls returned to Barbara's car, Raven pulled Starfire aside.

"I know what you were up to." The empath said without preamble.

Starfire gulped nervously. She'd been afraid of this; Raven was notoriously touchy about people prying into her emotional state. The princess decided on total denial combined with obfuscation as her best strategy to avoid her friend's displeasure. " I- I am afraid I do not understand. I am not up to anything- I remain firmly on the ground while we are in public. Tim was most emphatic about the need to remain on foot during the course of our trip. Perhaps my new shoes merely make me appear higher? This is an issue I have noticed in many forms of Terran footwear and one which continues to baffle me. Perhaps we could…"

"I know you know what I mean, Star" Raven interrupted, shaking her head. "I know you and Cassie wanted to keep me occupied today- to keep my MIND occupied."

Starfire sighed, giving up her charade. "Were we that obvious?" she asked hesitantly.

"Not really" Raven replied "I only figured it out an hour ago, when you dragged me into a changing booth to look at three pairs of identical shoes. Then it hit me that I hadn't been allowed to be alone with my thoughts all day- that every time I was, either you or Cassie would give me something to do."

"My friend, we wished only to distract you from your worries." Starfire began but was cut off by Raven placing a finger over her lips.

"I know that Star and I wanted to say thank you. Today has been the most restful day I've had since we arrived in Gotham- mentally, anyway. I've been worrying myself sick about Beas- about Garfield for months now." Raven frowned, unhappy at nearly giving away their identities in public. Tim had been clear- no code names unless they were in costume. Putting her error behind her, she went on. "I know I haven't been the easiest person to be around, Star, and I know I've been a bit snappish. Or more snappish than usual, at least. I wanted to say that I appreciate what you and Cassie did for me and your patience in putting up with me the last few months."

"Truly, my friend, it was nothing." Starfire said softly, placing a hand on Raven's shoulder. "I know that, if it had been Tim who had been lost rather than Garfield, I would have been inconsolable. All of your friends know the burden you have been feeling and we have all been greatly impressed by how you have handled it."

Raven gave a small smile. "Thanks, Starfire."

* * *

Doctor Christian Tannenberg sighed wearily as a brown envelope slipped under his door. He made no move to leave his bed to retrieve it- he already knew what it contained, at least in general terms. He had no idea how long it had been since he'd been abducted from the parking lot of Mercy Medical (having access to neither a clock nor a calendar) but he estimated it to be more than a month at the very least.

He had to admit that, whoever his kidnappers were, they appeared to wish him no genuine harm. He'd awakened in a plush suite roughly the size of his apartment in Des Moines, with comfortable furniture, a well-stocked kitchen and virtually all the conveniences he could want. True, there was no television, radio or telephone- but there was a DVD player, a vast collection of films and a large, varied library. There were no windows, however, and the main door was locked from the outside. After some time, the first of the envelopes had arrived and the reasons for his kidnapping became a bit clearer.

Each envelope was a theoretical problem of neurosurgery, typically something bizarre. The first problem, for example, had asked him to produce a surgical plan to excise a tumor from the pituitary gland. Ordinarily, a pituitary adenoma would have presented the talented neurosurgeon with little difficulty, except that the case came with two baffling conditions. First, that no metal tools or instruments could be used. Second that the patient had to remain at least partially conscious throughout the procedure. It had taken him some time –days? Hours? Who knew?- but eventually Tannenberg had devised a plan he estimated as having an 85 percent chance of success. He had slipped his plan under the door one page at a time then prepared himself for release.

But release never came. Instead, after some time another problem had been slipped under his door. This one dealt with removing the frontal lobes of a male whose skin and bone were nearly invulnerable. After some time, Tannenberg realized he was being asked how best to lobotomize Superman (or another superhero) and angrily shoved the papers back under the door before going to bed to prepare himself for whatever retribution occurred. When he awoke, he found that all the food was gone from his kitchen and the problem he'd rejected lay open on his table. The message was clear- cooperate or starve. He'd cooperated and his provisions had returned and had been replenished while he slept.

There had been a number of case problems since then, and gradually Tannenberg had come to the conclusion that he was being tested. His captors, whoever they were, were not actually interested in performing the operations he described for them. Rather, they were interested in his ability to create solutions to bizarre neurological conditions or to plan procedures to circumvent unusual circumstances and subjects. This did little to reassure his mind. For one thing, he worried what would happen if he failed- if he was presented with a problem he simply could not solve. Would they take away his food and let him starve? Or would they simply kill him outright?

But more than the prospect of failure, he worried about the consequences of success. Assuming his jailers didn't intend to test him indefinitely, there would likely come a point when they would be satisfied with his skill. He would then be given his real task, likely a surgical problem of great difficulty and dubious morality. What would he do then? Would he refuse the task, even at the cost of his life? Or would he go forward with it, using his surgical skill on what would in all likelihood be an unwilling subject? He didn't know.

He just didn't know.

A/N  
No action this time, but we're getting there.

Next time: Beastboy, the Ball and a Bad Dream.

Read and Review!


	59. Chapter 59

The Wayne Charity Ball was unusual among high-class charity events in that it was always held within Gotham City itself, rather than at the host's mansion. This custom had originated with the late Martha Wayne, who had felt that the point of the event was to raise awareness for the cause as well as money. As such, she had always selected the largest and most public locations possible, a trend continued under her son Bruce. This year, the ball was being held at the ballroom of the Gotham Regency hotel.

Starfire had been greatly impressed by the hotel even before they'd entered it. Driving up in the Wayne family's Rolls Royce, she had immediately been able to pick out the Regency from the crowd of high-end hotels that surrounded it. Though the Regency was neither the tallest nor the fanciest building in the area, its old-style architecture and bright searchlights made it stand out. She had been reminded, strangely, of the Royal Palace of Tamaran. Like the hotel, it was surrounded by larger and newer structures (in the case of the palace, government and military centers), yet remained distinct by virtue of its age and design. She greatly looked forward to viewing the interior- though she doubted that it would be anything like her home, she expected it to be interesting to say the least.

Tim, on the other hand, was dreading what he anticipated to be a long evening indeed. His past experiences with these events were overwhelmingly negative. The atmosphere tended to be exceedingly dull and stuffy, with all the party goers more concerned with how they appeared to one another than with any sort of enjoyment. The average age of the guests was usually forty or so, and the few young people tended to be highly sheltered and more than a little spoiled. Generally he spent the evening in an isolated corner of the room, waiting for Bruce to be ready to leave. He was also uncomfortable in formal dress- his dark colored suit, while handsome, was too constricting for his tastes. Finally, he was worried about Starfire- Gotham's elite were notoriously insular and tended to be cold to outsiders at the best of times. Given the alien girl's naiveté and ignorance of Earthly manners… he prayed that she wouldn't be noticed; he knew firsthand how badly a public snubbing could hurt.

He glanced over at Starfire and felt his heart sink. She looked so overjoyed to be here, and so eager to arrive. It pained him to think how badly she would feel if the elite of Gotham society rejected her. Just the thought made his fists clench- the thought of anyone hurting that wonderful, innocent girl made him furious.

As they pulled up to the hotel, Bruce leaned towards the couple and when he spoke, it was in the tones of Batman. "Mingle with the guests, but don't eat or drink too much. We still have patrol after the party" He said "Be ready to make a quick exit, however, in case the others find something."

Starfire frowned, puzzled by what the older man had said. "Forgive me, but did not the invitations specify the ball was to last from Eight Pee-Em to One Ay-Em? How can you, the host, leave early without ruining the event?"

Tim sighed. "Don't worry about it, Kori. Bruce will… well, just wait and see."

On that rather puzzling note, Tim led his girlfriend into the party, praying that it would go well.

* * *

Back in the Batcave, Cyborg was reading through the results of the search so far. So far, there had been no sign that Crane was preparing a large quantity of his fear gas- no large orders of any of the key chemicals had been placed within Gotham in the last three months. Killer Croc's interrogation had turned up nothing- apparently, Crane had spoken to the mutant to ask where he might hire muscle short-term, but had said nothing about why he needed it. With no sign of the Riddler, the investigation was well and truly stalled. He let out a deep sigh, and leaned back from the Batcomputer.

Despite all his efforts, he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that had plagued him ever since they arrived in Gotham. He knew, logically, that the trip was a necessary step in freeing his best friend. He knew, logically, that they were doing everything they could to retrieve him. He knew, logically, that periods of rest were vitally necessary for the team to maintain optimal field performance. All work and no play didn't make Jack a dull boy, it sent Jack into a nervous breakdown and could induce psychosis, as Robin had learned the hard way.

Despite his cybernetics and his partially computerized brain, logic was having very little effect on him right now. He felt like a traitor for not devoting every second to searching for his buddy, and for having allowed him to be taken in the first place. No matter how often he told himself the feelings were pointless- and worse, counterproductive- they never went away for long.

Fortunately, his communicator chimed, bringing him out of his gloom and back to reality. "Hello?" he said.

"Cyborg it's Raven" came the reply, and he noticed the empath sounded hesitant… almost scared. "Could- Could you and Alfred come to my room please? There's been a bit of a …situation."

"Uh, okay" Cyborg answered, a little worried. "Is this situation dangerous? Want me to get Cassie and Dick to come too?"

"No." Raven said, calmly but far too quickly. "No, I'd prefer not."

Cyborg frowned. Something about this seemed very off to him. "Raven, do you feel all right?" he asked, straining his hearing to try to detect the sound of someone else in the room with her.

A small sigh was audible over the communicator before Raven answered. "Not really. Just come to my room and everything will be clear."

Cyborg left the cave and headed for the kitchen where he found Alfred scrubbing the last of the dishes from dinner. When the Titans had first arrived, they had offered to help out in the kitchen. Alfred had informed that while he appreciated the offer, their aid was unnecessary and unwanted. He enjoyed his work, he said, and he had no desire to dragoon his guests into aiding him. As such, Cyborg's entry into the kitchen so soon after dinner surprised the old butler. Quickly, Cyborg explained the situation and Alfred agreed that something was, indeed, suspicious. Raven's message had sounded less like a friend asking for help and more like a hostage speaking for her captors.

"I hesitate to act behind Miss Raven's back, but perhaps it would be best if we arrived prepared for the worst." Alfred said, going to a cupboard and withdrawing a shotgun. As he loaded it with shells, he noticed the stunned look on Cyborg's face. Alfred smiled grimly. "I see that you are surprised by the presence of firearms within Wayne Manor."

"Uh, yeah kinda. I mean, Batman is pretty much the last guy you expect to have a supply guns around the house" Cyborg replied, unwilling to admit that this was only partially true. It was also a bit incongruous to see the elegant Gentleman's Gentleman- still immaculate in his suit and tie - loading a shotgun with such practiced ease.

"Oh, the weapons are not for master Bruce" Alfred assured him as he closed the cupboard door. "Rather, they are for my own use. The manor has seen a large number of, shall we say, uninvited guests over the years- many of whom require rather more than a firm tone of voice to be convinced to leave. As I am no longer a young man, I purchased a number of firearms to aid me in maintaining the manor's security while the Family is out. Shall we?"

"Huh?" Cyborg suddenly remembered the situation upstairs. "Right. I'll take the lead, Alfred- no offense, but I can take more damage than you can."

"Very well then, young sir." Alfred said, pumping the shotgun to slide a shell into the chamber. "After you."

The pair moved quickly to the second floor, and then down the hall to the room Raven had taken as her own. The hallway showed clear signs of a struggle- paintings hung crooked on the wall, the window was severely cracked, and a small decorative table had been knocked over. Cyborg immediately feared the worst, and raced to Raven's door. Not bothering with courtesies, the metal teen gave the door a thunderous kick, knocking it clear off its hinges and onto the floor, allowing Cyborg to enter the room with sonic cannon armed. Alfred followed behind him, shotgun ready.

What they saw astonished them. The room was in a shambles. The furniture had been torn to pieces, with bits of chairs, nightstand and table littering the floor. The mattress was in shreds, and feathers were dusted throughout the room. The large windows had exploded outward, and the full-length mirror had shattered completely. Large portions of the walls had holes and dents, as though something (or someone) had been flung into them at high speed. Indeed, one of the bedposts had pierced the wall like a spear, evidently hitting a water pipe leading to the small en suite bathroom, as water was pouring from the hole. For a moment, Cyborg feared that they had been too late- that someone had smashed into the room to kidnap or kill his friend- until he noticed a small shape huddled in one corner of the room.

Striding over, he gently pulled Raven to her feet and began a quick medical scan. Raven, meanwhile, gave him a very curious look.

"Cyborg, what are you doing? And why did you bust into my room like you were expecting an ambush?" she asked, her voice as calm as ever.

"To answer your first question, I'm checking that you're okay." Cyborg answered briskly. "As for your second question, well, I WAS."

Raven quirked an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I see. And why did you expect an ambush in my bedroom?"

"I believe Master Victor was concerned by you told him earlier" Alfred explained, as he swiftly removed the shells from his weapon before setting it aside. "Both its content and the manner in which you delivered it. The request itself was strange, and from what he has told me, you sounded rather unlike your normal calm and confident self. Given the situation with your young man, it did not seem unreasonable to take precautions."

Raven blinked at that. "I see. Well, thank you both for being willing to charge into danger on my behalf, even if it was unnecessary."

"No problem, Raven. Now, ya wanna tell us what happened here?" Cyborg said, shifting his sonic cannon back into an arm to gesture at the room around them. "This place looks like a cyclone hit!"

"Oh. That. I had a bad dream." Raven said quietly. Seeing Cyborg's shock, she elaborated. "A very bad dream."

"I see" Alfred said thoughtfully as he gazed at the damage around him. "I understand why you wished my presence, as one person would hardly be able to clean this on their own. I am puzzled, however, as to why you felt the need to call master Victor- judging by your posture, I gather you are somewhat ashamed of what occurred here?"

"A little" Raven confirmed. "I don't usually let myself dream- it's simply too dangerous. I use an Azerathian meditative practice and mental control to enter a deep dreamless state. Normally it works perfectly but tonight… tonight I suppose my control slipped. Or was disrupted."

Cyborg's eye widened. "You think someone could have disrupted your mind? It's not impossible, I guess. Let's finish clearing up here and then we'll head down to the Batcave so I can run a battery of tests."

"You need not wait" Alfred interjected, picking up his shotgun. "Apart from sweeping up, there is precious little any of us can do to set this room to rights. I feel it will be simpler to simply cart the debris off in the morning and replace everything. As for the walls, that will be a job for a professional. Miss Raven, I suggest you and Master Victor head down to the medical bay for now while I do what I can."

Raven's eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't like the idea of leaving you to clean up my mess."

Alfred gave her a smile. "Rest assured, Miss Raven, I am quite used to it. After so many years attending to Master Bruce and his wards, I had better be wouldn't you say?"

Cyborg laughed at that and Raven nodded.

An hour later, Raven rose from her makeshift bed in the medical bay. Cyborg leaned over and helped her remove the last of the wires attached to her forehead before returning them to the scanners.

"Well, there's no sign of any obvious tampering." Cyborg sighed "No anomalous brainwaves or psionic signals. Of course, that may just mean its occurring in a way we can't identify/"

"How reassuring." Raven droned "So I can look forward to this being a recurring problem?"

"Maybe. Say, mind telling me just what this dream was about?" Cyborg asked.

Raven sighed and sat down on the bed again, pulling her hood up as she did so. "I was back at the Tower, reading a book in the Common Room. Suddenly, Beastboy walked in- as though he hadn't even been gone- and started telling me stupid jokes. I told him to go away, that I was busy right then, but he wouldn't listen. Looking back, I should have been thrilled to see him, but at the time it just irritated me."

Cyborg nodded. "That's the way things are in dreams- your reactions only make sense in the context of the dream. So go on."

"Well, he just wouldn't leave no matter what I said, so I- I threw him out the window. The way I always threatened to." Raven took a deep breath and shook her head. "It was so horrible, Cyborg. The window shattered when he hit it, and he was cut badly by the remains in the window and some loose shards had been driven deep into his flesh. I remember that he'd snagged his hand on one big chunk and was just dangling out the window, blood pouring from his body."

The metal teen let out a long, low whistle. "Damn girl, that's what I call a nightmare. I can see why..."

"I'm not finished." Raven said, not looking up. "I got off the couch to get a closer look, but then his body vanished. The door opened and Beastboy came in again, still telling jokes like nothing was wrong. So I threw him the window again, making sure he didn't touch the glass. As he fell, he tried to turn into a bird and fly, but… but it didn't work. I mean, he transformed, but there was a loud snapping sound, and he just kept falling."

"Birds wings are real delicate- they'd snap if they were opened high speed." Cyborg said softly. "I guess you picked that fact up somewhere and stored it subconsciously. There anything more?"

Raven nodded. "It just kept on going and going- Beastboy would reappear, I'd throw him out the window, he'd die. Over and over. I remember that I didn't WANT him to get hurt, that I was trying to find some way to throw him out the window safely. But it just didn't occur to me to stop."

"Not a lot of ways to throw someone out of a tall building without hurting them." Cyborg remarked, sitting down on the bed beside the gray girl. "Rae, how are you feeling?"

"Awful." Raven said, looking up. Cyborg could see unshed tears shimmering in her violet eyes. "Cyborg, am I some kind of monster? Why would I dream something like that? Do I want to hurt Beastboy on some level? Or does my subconscious just get off on causing pain in general- like my father did?"

Cyborg shook his head vehemently. "First of all knock of that 'monster' bullshit. You're one of the best and kindest people I know, and I don't wanna ever hear you call yourself a monster again. Secondly, I think your dream is just guilt and worry. You're worried about Gar, and you're blaming yourself for what happened to him. On some level, you feel like you should have been able to stop him getting kidnapped. Plus, you're probably feeling guilty about the times you used to treat him bad- like when you used to threaten to throw him out a window."

Raven looked thoughtful. "You seem to know a lot about this. I didn't know you were an expert on psychology."

Cyborg laughed and shook his head. "You're not the first person to have that kinda dream, Raven. I've had plenty of dreams about what Beastboy might be going through, and more than a few about the times I treated him bad. Gotta admit, though, I never had any that combined the two."

"Gee, don't I feel special" Raven replied, hopping off the table and heading for the door. "I'm going upstairs to speak to Alfred- maybe I can move down here to the medical bay. It's more secure and less damage-prone than the manor, and it doesn't have the creepy aura that pervades the house. Then I'm going to get ready for tonight's work."

"You noticed it too, huh?" Cyborg said, rising to his feet. "I thought it was just my imagination."

"Hardly. And Cyborg?" Raven turned back and gave her friend a small smile. "Thanks for talking me through this- it's nice to know I'm not the only one feeling the pressure."

"Anytime, girl" Cyborg answered, and headed back to his computer terminal. Oddly, he felt significantly better than he had before Raven called him. Helping one of his friends had restored his faith in himself and he returned to his search with fresh energy.

* * *

Back at the party, Tim stood in one corner filled with quiet awe. He'd been worried that Starfire would have trouble mixing with the other party guests. He'd been worried that she would feel hurt and rejected. He couldn't have been more wrong.

From the moment they'd stepped into the ballroom "Kori Anders" had been the focus of attention for much of the party. Her beauty and innocent charm had captivated every male under the age of thirty- as well as a few of the older men- all of whom had moved with almost unseemly haste to make their introductions. Kori had been as warm and friendly as ever, but had made it clear that she was here with her boyfriend Tim Drake- thereby defusing the rising jealousies among the young women in attendance. Since then, she had flitted from one group to the next, chatting with virtually everyone and easily making friends. When the music started, she had politely declined numerous offers for the first dance, stating that all her dances were reserved- but she had quickly paired her would-be suitors up with other partners. As a result, the ball was proving to be a much better event than any of the young attendees had expected. Kori was, unquestionably, the belle of the ball.

Which led to his current problem. He'd barely had a word with his girlfriend all evening- she spent most of her time circulating among the guests and only spoke to him when it was time for another dance or to parade around as her boyfriend. He felt jealous, both of Kori's instant success as a socialite and at the attention she showered on everyone else. He also felt deeply ashamed of himself for his jealousy- he'd been worried that she wouldn't fit in and then felt upset when she did? What kind of pitiful excuse for a boyfriend was he?

He knew that, rationally, he should take matters into his own hands. He should join Star in her socializing- not only to be by her side, but also to reinforce his public image as Bruce Wayne's ward. The trouble was that Tim wasn't comfortable in large social gatherings. He wasn't shy- a superhero had to be ready to interact with the public at any time and on any scale- but years of working as a vigilante had left him uncomfortable relaxing around people he did not know well, and his acting skills weren't good enough to cover that up. He knew that, if he tried to join Starfire's mingling it would just seem awkward and forced.

Heaving a sigh, he stepped out of the ball room and onto the hotel's large patio. The Gotham night was cool, and Tim looked out over the city. His thoughts drifted until the sound of a door opening behind him brought him out of his reverie. He turned to see Starfire step out, looking a little tired but happy.

"There you are, Tim" she said, walking over to his side. "Why did you leave the party? Has it not been enjoyable?"

Tim shrugged awkwardly. "I don't really like crowds. You're doing well though, everyone seems to like you."

Starfire smiled and leaned against him. Idly, Tim wished he were just a little taller so his girlfriend could put her head on his shoulder without bending.

"I am a royal princess of Tamaran, Tim- I have had much practice in the mingling. Tonight was not so different from any of the palace ceremonies I have attended since childhood. Although never was my companion as handsome as you."

Tim smiled and shook his head. "And to think I was worried you wouldn't fit into this crowd."

Starfire smiled and the two were quiet for a time, looking out over the city. Eventually, the alien princess let out a soft sigh of happiness.

"I was so afraid that we would never reach this point" she said, almost to herself. "There have been so many obstacles between us, and we are so very different. It seems impossible that we are here, together, does it not? I only wish our friends could be so happy…"

As she trailed off, Tim picked up on what she meant. "You're thinking about Beastboy aren't you?"

"I am" Starfire replied. "Is it wrong that I am feeling so happy while one of our dearest friends is in the hands of a madman?"

Tim shook his head. "We're doing everything we can to find him, Star, but we can't surrender our whole lives to our work. Remember how I almost had a nervous breakdown over Slade? I don't want that happening again, to either of us. It doesn't help him and it only makes us less effective."

"I suppose this is true." Starfire agreed, before tugging on her boyfriend's elbow. "Come, Tim, I wish to have another dance with my handsome companion."

As the two re-entered the ballroom, however, it soon became clear that the relaxation part of the evening was coming to a close. Surrounded by a crowd of gawking socialites, Bruce Wayne was speaking with a furious looking man and woman. The billionaire playboy was clearly intoxicated- his speech was slurred and he seemed to be having difficulty keeping his balance.

"Look I didn't shay your fiancée was a whore" Wayne said, laughing a little. "I jusht said she was DRESSED like a whore. C'mon, don't take it so personally- this is a party, right? It's all in good fun, right?"

The other man- a broad, beefy man just starting to run to fat-gritted his teeth. Belatedly, Tim recognized him as Joe Guralt, one of Gotham's newest millionaires and owner of Guralt Consulting. "Listen, man" he growled, clenching and unclenching his fists. "I didn't come here to be insulted. So why are you dissing my girl?"

Wayne laughed, staggering a little. "Well, if she'd come dreshed like someone who made dresses, I'd have called her a tailor, but…"

Wayne was suddenly rocked back by a vicious punch. A trained observer would've spotted that the punch was clumsy and slow- the work of a man more used to intimidating his opponents than actually his fists. A HIGHLY trained observer would've noticed that Wayne fell backward much further than the blow warranted. Only a true expert in martial arts would have spotted the way Wayne leaned away from the blow at the very last minute, allowing it to just barely clip him without doing any real damage- a feat of control completely at odds with the billionaire's apparent drunkenness. The ordinary party guests only saw one of the city's richest men go flying back to land in a crumpled heap on the ballroom floor.

Tim moved forward, ready to play his scripted part. Stepping between the two men, he placed a hand on Guralt's broad chest, halting the larger man's advance. "That's enough" he said, making sure his voice was as young and frail as people believed Tim Drake to be. "Come on mister Guralt, Bruce is drunk- you know he doesn't mean any of this. By tomorrow he'll have sobered up and he'll be falling all over himself to apologize."

Guralt stepped back and ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. "Yeah, yeah, you're right kid. Damn. Let my temper get the better of me again- and here I was hoping to make a good impression tonight. So what do I do? I punch out the host."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much" said another guest, stepping out of the crowd. Tim recognized him as William Baskerly, scion of one of Gotham's oldest families. "Dear Bruce does tend to overdo things at these little parties- and you're hardly the first of us to take a swing at him when he lets his liver take over his mouth. Why, I punched him right in the face only three months ago when he insisted on referring to my mother as 'a fish faced old shrew'. Not that I disagreed with him, you understand, but one must maintain the family honor."

That got a laugh, and the tension in the room slowly dissipated. The brawl had already receded into memory as another Bruce Wayne Moment. As the party resumed, Baskerly turned back to Tim.

"Take the old boy home, Tim" he said gently "Make sure he drinks some water before he goes to sleep or he'll wake up wishing Guralt had split his head open. And, though I realize this is probably impossible, try to get him to ease off the drink a little?"

Tim nodded and smiled wearily. "I'll try. Come on, Kori, looks like our evening's over."

A chorus of groans and protests met this, as other guests (male and female) implored Kori to stay behind. However, she dutifully took hold of one of Bruce's arms while Tim took the other and between them they carried the insensate playboy to his car. She was more than a little confused by the events of the night so far, and was eagerly looking forward to some sort of explanation.

She did not have to wait long. No sooner were the car doors shut than Bruce's eyes snapped open. Gone was the blurry gaze of the drunkard, as was the dreamy look of Bruce Wayne. Instead, she found herself looking into the cold and focused eyes of the Batman.

"I received a communiqué from Oracle" Batman said, as he motioned for Alfred to take them home. "Apparently, Edward Nygma was apprehended earlier this evening as part of a sting operation aimed at smugglers. He was attempting to purchase a pride of lions, presumably for use in one of his death traps. He's currently in a holding cell at Gotham Central, awaiting interrogation."

Tim punched his fist in the air jubilantly. "Yes! Then we're one step closer to finding Beastboy! If Riddler knows anything, we could have him back in a few nights!"

Starfire shuddered. "I hope our friend does not suffer too badly in the meantime."

* * *

Beastboy gasped, trying to ignore the burning pain that spread from his lungs. His muscles were tearing, his breath was ragged and he was sure death couldn't possibly be far away.

"Please!" he cried out, hoping against hope to inspire pity in his tormentor. "No more! I'm begging you!"

Charlie looked up from his magazine and frowned at him. "No deal, kid. You got another quarter mile to go."

"But-"

"No, I said. You were the one who started complainin' about gettin' flabby." Charlie pointed out " Now shut up and run before I decide to kick the treadmill's pace up a notch."

Beastboy cursed but said no more, returning his focus to his running. Charlie had proven more than once that he wasn't prepared to tolerate whining in the gym, and that slacking off was a punishable offence. The green boy was willing to bet that his guard/friend/sadistic tormentor had spent some time working as a physical trainer.

After what seemed like forever, the machine reached the end of its program and slowly came to a halt. Beastboy sagged to his knees, allowing the gently rolling belt to slide him onto the ground. There, he sprawled back on the floor of the gym and let his aching muscles rest. Or that was his intention, anyway. Before he could do more than draw a deep breath, Charlie was pulling him to his feet.

"Okay, champ, up you get. Time to stretch- you worked really hard today and I don't want you damaging your muscles by not stretching them properly." Charlie said, gently pushing the shapeshifter off to one side.

Beastboy ran through his stretching exercises without much thought. He'd been doing this for some time now- though given his lack of time references he couldn't say exactly how long- and the motions were largely automatic. Instead, he watched as the other men in the large gym went about their workouts. He had been surprised at first by just how many other guys there were- he recognized one or two but the vast majority were completely unknown to him. Whoever had taken him was clearly running a very large operation. The changeling had attempted to speak to them, but every single one had ignored him- clearly, Beastboy was being kept incommunicado.

Before too long he was finished and headed for a shower.

The gym's locker room was quite basic, just a bench and a number of lockers which had clearly seen better days. This was in stark contrast to the top-of-the-line equipment which filled the gym itself. Beastboy guessed that the Boss, whoever he was, placed more importance on his minion's physical fitness than on their comfort. Still, he didn't give it much thought- after all, it wasn't like he had much to store here.

After stripping off the green t-shirt and shorts he used for his workouts, the green teen headed for the showers. On the way, though, he paused to check himself out in a mirror and as always was surprised by how much his physique had changed. His lean body was beginning to fill out with muscle and he was sure he was a little taller too.

As he entered the shower, he pondered these changes. On the one hand, it was entirely possible that this was natural. He'd never seriously worked out before, not even as a Titan. The nature of his powers meant that the physical shape of his normal form was pretty well irrelevant in battle. If he needed to be stronger, he just changed into a stronger form. Robin, recognizing this, had instead made Beastboy work on his agility and stamina- focusing on sprinting and jogging rather than sweating over weights. Charlie had not agreed with this- while it may have made tactical sense it left Beastboy (as Charlie put it) "a scrawny little runt I could snap in two with one hand". So, over the last dozen visits to the gym, he'd made his charge work every muscle in his body using a wide variety of machines and exercises. Given all of that, it seemed little wonder that he was beginning to fill out.

On the other hand, it seemed like it was all happening too fast. Yes, he'd been to the gym a dozen times or more- and yes, after that it was only to be expected that he would be a bit more muscular. But the scale of the changes he saw in the mirror seemed far greater than what normal training could accomplish in so short a time. With a start, he wondered if he was being fed some sort of steroid to make him stronger- unbidden, his memories of being used as an attack dog by the Joker rose in his mind. Quickly, he ran through what he knew of steroid abuse, particularly of the signs a user might exhibit.

'Lessee… chest, still normal- no signs of acne or man-boobs.' He thought, checking each part manually. 'Face, still clear. Um… 'equipment' still normal…"

Before he could proceed with his self-exam, however, he was interrupted as the hot water in his shower abruptly cut off, hitting him with a blast of ice cold water. With a shriek, the green boy leapt from the shower. His sensitive ears picked up the sounds of laughter coming from outside the gym- Charlie, if he had to guess. Fuming, the shape shifter stomped back to the locker room to change back into his normal clothes.

Exiting the locker room he came face to face with Charlie, who was still sniggering. Before Beastboy could voice his complaint, Charlie held up a hand.

"Now, I know that wasn't the nicest thing I coulda done" the older man said "But the guys on camera duty told me what you were doing in there. Now, I got no problem with you wanting to clean yourself off after a hard day's work, but I ain't gonna stand here waiting while you jerk off in the shower. I know you're missing your girl but there's a time and a place, y'know? "

With a start, Beastboy realized what his impromptu checkup would have looked like to someone watching. That he was being watched in the shower came as no surprise to him- no matter how nice his surroundings, he was still a prisoner. Feeling the blush rising in his cheeks, he shook his head furiously.

"Dude, it totally wasn't like that!" he exclaimed "I was just checking myself over!"

"Oh, I'm sure!" Charlie sniggered as he lead his charge out of the gym. "Find anything interesting?"

"Dude! Seriously! I was thinking that I was putting on way too much muscle way too fast and I thought 'well what if they're giving me steroids or something nasty like that?' So I figured I'd check myself over and make sure there was nothing wrong" Beastboy snapped, embarrassed and angry.

"Oh, is that all? It's probably that protein powder I been putting in your food" Charlie replied.

"You what?" Beastboy gaped. "I trusted you, man!"

"What?" Charlie asked, baffled by the boy's anger. "It's not like it was anything bad for you- it's just that you were a scrawny little thing and I wanted to build you up. I even made sure that the stuff was vegan-friendly so you wouldn't have a vegetarian-guilt hissy fit. Besides, don't you wanna look good for when you get back to your friends in Jump City?"

"I- That's not-Wait." Beastboy paused, analyzing what Charlie had said. "BACK in Jump City? As in, we aren't in Jump now?"

Charlie stopped dead in the middle of the hallway and his face went pale. "I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that." Turning to Beastboy, his expression became pleading. "Please don't tell anyone I slipped up. I'm in enough trouble over your escape attempt- if the Boss finds out I let one of his secrets out... "

Beastboy nodded. "Don't worry about it, dude- you've treated me as well as I could hope and I got nothing against you. I won't say a word to anyone. So, what's next?"

Relieved, Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out a small notepad. Glancing down, he grimaced. "You've got an appointment with the shrink."

Beastboy let out a heartfelt groan. "What? Oh, come on!"

Charlie glared at him, genuine anger clear in his eyes. "What the hell are YOU complaining about?"

Beastboy shrank back, and quickly apologized. The two walked down the hall in silence, as Beastboy turned his mind back to that first appointment…

A/N

Longish.

A couple of things. I had the idea for the ball a long time ago, albeit in a different form. Originally, Starfire was going to out-bitch the snobs by imitating Blackfire- talking down to them, handing out backhanded insults, that sort of thing. But in the end, it was just too out of character for her, so I didn't do it.

The dream sequence was also a long time in planning. It's supposed to highlight the fact that the Titans (especially Raven) are missing Beastboy a lot. But it's also meant to debunk the 'throw-Beastboy-out-a-window' idea. This seems to have been total Fanon, with no precedent in either the show or the comics, and it just doesn't work. You can't throw someone out a window without killing them- not unless they're Superman or something. It bothers me when authors just casually have someone toss Beastboy out a window as if it were nothing.

Before I go, I want to address the issue of typos in my writing. Basically, whenever I finish a chapter I'm very eager to put it up and see what people think (so review as often as possible!). Seriously, even delaying long enough to run a spell-check is an act of willpower. Given that, it's to be expected that some things are going to slip past me. I'll try and do better on that.

To those of you expecting a battle with the Riddler you have my sincerest apologies. If you'll look at my other stories, you'll see I make very little use of the Riddler. The truth is I simply can't write riddles or puzzles to save my life. I really tried to make a few for this story, but none met my approval. So, I used a bit of a cop-out. Again, my apologies and I promise I'll try harder from now on.

More on Beastboy's shrink, and Charlie's anger, next time!


	60. Chapter 60

It was impossible to tell just how long ago the first meeting with the psychologist had been, of course- Beastboy had lost almost all sense of time's passage since his return to captivity. Still, he was fairly sure it had been some time ago- before he'd started going to the gym with Charlie. As the pair walked to his next appointment, Beastboy cast his memory back to that first meeting with the "doctor"

The morning had begun, as all his mornings here did, with his cell's alarm jangling him from sleep. Beastboy had blearily risen from his bed and blinked the sleep from his eyes as he idly wondered how long they'd let him sleep last night. He was pretty sure the timing of the alarm varied wildly from night to night- he knew of at least a couple of occasions when it had only allowed him a couple of hours of rest- but since he had no control over it, he tried not to think about it.

He headed into his small bathroom to clean up before his day began. Stripping off his clothes (a sleeveless vest and shorts) he hopped into the shower, doing his best to ignore the camera that monitored him even here. As he stepped into the spray of warm water, he started to sing to himself- a technique he'd learned at Sunnyvale for timing his showers. After two choruses of "Wild Thing", he figured he was clean enough to begin his day. Returning to the main room, he went to his closet to select an outfit for the day- his captors having provided him with a selection of brightly colored shirts and pants. He decided on a bright red shirt with bright blue pants, reasoning that fashion wasn't really a requirement when being held prisoner. Once dressed, he sat down on the couch to wait for his breakfast.

He didn't have long to wait, as within a few moments the door opened and Charlie entered carrying a plastic tray loaded with fruit and cold cereal. Placing the tray on the table, the guard plucked a pear from the tray before sitting down. "Eat up fast, kid." He said, inspecting the pear carefully "You got an appointment in a few minutes."

Beastboy had been reaching for the cereal but paused. "An appointment? With who?" He asked, confused. He hadn't left his cell since his abortive escape attempt, save for medical checkups.

Charlie shrugged and bit into his pear, chewing and swallowing before he answered. "I dunno, kid. They don't tell me. All I know is my boss says you have an appointment so you have an appointment."

Beastboy nodded and didn't push the matter. He'd long ago realized that Charlie didn't know a lot more about his employers or their plans than he did himself. Instead, the changeling ate his breakfast as quickly as he could- it had been a long time since his routine had included anything unexpected and his curiosity was almost uncontrollable. He realized how pathetic this was- that news of an unexpected appointment could make him this excited- but he couldn't help himself.

Eventually, when the pair had finished eating, Charlie lead Beastboy out into the hallway where two other guards awaited them armed with assault rifles. One of the two gave a big and apparently genuine smile when he saw the green boy.

"Well, well" he said "If it isn't our little escape artist. How ya been, Houdini?"

Charlie looked from the guard to Beastboy and back again. "You two know each other?" He asked hesitantly.

The lead guard's smile broadened as he answered. "Oh, yeah. We're the ones who caught the little guy after he gave you the slip, Chucky. He'd climbed the elevator cable all the way to the main floor before we arrived to clean up your mess. Boss wasn't any too happy about that, was he Chucky? That's why he put us in charge of moving the kid to and from his appointments from now on."

Charlie said nothing and stood looking at the floor. The two guards smirked at this; plainly, Charlie's mistake had cost him a great deal of respect among the other guards, and had gotten him into a good deal of trouble too. Beastboy suppressed a twinge of guilt- no matter how nice his jailer was, he had been right to try to escape. But that didn't mean he had to stand here and listen to these jerks rip on Charlie.

"Knock it off, you two" he said, staring the guards in the eye.

The leader smirked as he looked Beastboy up and down. "Or what, runt? In case you haven't noticed, you ain't in a position to be making threats here."

"If you two don't knock it off" Beastboy replied, locking eyes with the armed man "I'll make darn sure we arrive late for this appointment of yours- so late that you two clowns will get in twice as much trouble as my buddy here did."

The smiles vanished from the thugs faces and the lead one leaned forward a touch in what he no doubt thought was a menacing gesture, never breaking Beastboy's gaze. "How exactly d'ya mean to do that, runt? I mean, me and Jimmy here outweigh you by about two hundred pounds, easy, and these ain't pea shooters we got. Worst case scenario, we can just carry you there, in whatever condition you happened to be in."

Beastboy just laughed in his face. "Seriously? That's your answer? Dude, first of all I've been a professional superhero since I was a little kid. I've fought aliens, monsters, supervillains and demons-you really think I'm gonna be scared of you just 'cause you're big? I mean, even without my powers I'm guessing I could seriously mess you two up, even if I couldn't beat you. We're not talking bruises or cuts; we're talking broken bones and missing eyes." Here Beastboy gave a smile, making sure his fang was visible before continuing. "But it won't come to that, because number two: you two can't do jack to me. Seriously, how happy do you think your boss is gonna be if I turn up to this appointment not just late but bleeding? And don't even think about using your guns- I can't imagine how pissed he'd be if I got shot!"

The changeling paused for a moment, letting his words sink in before he resumed. "So here's how it's going to work. You two are going to apologize to Charlie here, like good gorillas, and then you're going to be quiet. We're going to make this trip in silence, and nobody's ever going to speak of it again. And this isn't, like, a onetime thing- this is how all our trips together are going to be. Okay?"

The pair were silent for a moment before the leader turned to Charlie and gave him a smile- or at least showed his teeth. "I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you CHARLES."

Charlie frowned at his charge and put a hand on Jim's shoulder. "You got nothing to apologize for Jim, everything you said was right. You guys DID clean up my mess and saved by bacon, too- I don't wanna think what the boss would've done to me if the kid had escaped on my watch. The kid's WAY outta line threatenin' ya like that, and if you want I'll talk to him about it"

Jim's rictus slowly thawed into a genuine smile, and he clapped Charlie on the shoulder (causing Charlie to stagger). "Nah, wouldn't do much good- runt knows there ain't nothing we can do to him. And I AM sorry for bein' an ass before- chalk it up to a bad day that looks like it's gonna get worse. C'mon, let's head to this appointment and we'll see if we can't think of a way to put this little punk in his place."

At first, Beastboy was worried that Charlie was genuinely angry at him. He'd only been trying to help his friend out, to make up for the trouble his escape attempt had caused, but it seemed he'd just gotten Charlie angry at him. He began to wonder if he'd just made a huge mistake, until Charlie flashed him a quick thumbs-up from behind the other guards backs. The changeling relaxed- he'd done the right thing after all; Charlie was just trying to ease the enmity between himself and his fellow goons.

The trip was a short one, the appointment apparently being on the same floor as Beastboy's cell. The group entered a well-appointed waiting area, equipped with a number of soft recliners all facing a door with no handle. Oddly, the room contained no couches, tables or other furniture. Just four recliners, sitting in a half circle on a thick cream colored carpet. Facing the chairs was a square of dark glass- presumably a one way window. The group sat down in their individual chairs to wait, but before they could get comfortable, a buzzer sounded and the far door slid open.

"I guess that's my cue" Beastboy said, rising from his chair and heading for the door. "See you guys later"

Stepping through the door, the shape shifter found himself in a plain white room. The only furnishings were a small two-seat couch, and a small round table on which was what appeared to be a small radio. Behind the chair was a window which looked out on the waiting room.

"This is kinda a letdown" Beastboy muttered.

"How so?"

"Well, I kinda thought after all tha- YAHAAH!" Beastboy screamed, leaping onto the chair and scanning the room. "Wh-Who said that?"

"I did" came a tinny voice from the radio "I am your psychological examiner. Please, sit down. Make yourself comfortable- there's no reason to be afraid."

Beastboy climbed down from the chair sheepishly and sat down. "Ha. Well, you know- I wasn't actually AFRAID. It's just that, uh, after so many years as a super hero, my reactions are pretty much automatic. It's the downside to having cat-like reflexes."

"Of course" replied the voice.

"So…" Beastboy said, trying to get a handle on the situation "What's your name, doctor? Or are you not a doctor?"

"I am a doctor, yes." the voice answered "But under the circumstances, I hope you'll understand if I decline to give my name."

"Okay, but I have to call you something, dude. How about if I just call you doc?" The changeling asked, sinking back into his chair. It really was very comfy.

"I'd rather you didn't. It isn't dignified." The voice replied, now sounding a bit annoyed.

"All right, what do you think of the name Doctor Feelgood? OOOH! Or maybe Doctor Love?" Beastboy countered. He was beginning to enjoy this.

"…Let's stick with Doc." Doc said, wearily. "Now, if we may begin? I'd like to ask you some questions, if that's all right."

"Fire away doc, I got nothing to hide" Beastboy said, angling his body so that his legs were draped over one armrest while his back rested against the other. He figured that if he had to do this, he might as well be comfortable.

"Thank you. Now, you are in a romantic relationship with a teammate- Raven, if I'm not mistaken- and have been for some time now. Have you two had sex?"

"What? How is that-" Beastboy stammered but stopped. "Never mind. No we haven't- we aren't going to rush it."

"I see. That's a very responsible attitude, rare in people so young. Quite commendable. How often do you masturbate?"

Beastboy bolted upright, or at least he tried to. Unfortunately, he wound up over balancing and fell out of his seat, landing face first on the floor. Scrambling to his feet he scowled at the radio. "Dude that is TOTALLY none of your business!" he yelled "I mean, I know I'm your prisoner but seriously, gimme some privacy here!"

Doc sighed audibly. "I see. I'd hoped we would be able to avoid this, but this is far too important to allow you to balk. Please turn your attention to the window."

Grudgingly, Beastboy turned to look out into the waiting room. Jim and Joey were idly chatting, while Charlie lay back in his chair- apparently taking the opportunity for a little nap. Suddenly, metal bands emerged from the arm rests and the back of his chair, encircling his hands and binding his chest. Charlie's eyes popped wide open and he surged forward against the restraints, crying out in pain. The other two guards leapt to their feet, but made no move to help their comrade- whatever was happening was likely the work of their superiors, who wouldn't thank them for interfering.

Beastboy turned away from the window in disgust and anger. "What are you doing to him?" he cried.

"Punishment." Doc replied in a cold and matter-of-fact tone. "This guard- Charles, I believe- was negligent in allowing you to make your escape attempt. He would have been punished long ago, but it was noted that you and he had become unexpectedly close since your arrival, and my superiors felt that you might become unreasonably upset if anything were to happen to him. However, this examination is deemed to be of sufficient import that I can make use of him if I need to."

Beastboy struggled to make sense of this nightmarish situation. "What? What do you mean 'make use of him'?"

"I mean that if you refuse to answer my questions, or answer in a way that I consider to be less than wholly truthful, Charles will be punished further. Right now he is receiving a relatively small electric shock, delivered from electrodes within his chair. I can and will increase the voltage if you refuse to answer my questions. Now, once more- how often do you masturbate?"

Beastboy looked out the window for a few seconds before he muttered "Two or three times a week, normally."

"I see. And has this schedule changed since your arrival here?"

And so it went. The entire session was spent exploring the changeling's sex life and urges. He was asked to describe his most common sexual fantasies, his wet dreams, which parts of Raven's body he found most exciting and many other humiliating things. Whenever he faltered, whether due to embarrassment or resentment, Charlie's screams of pain soon loosened his tongue. Eventually, though, it came to an end.

"I think that's enough for today, Beastboy." Doc said, and for the first time since the questioning began his tone became warm again. "I want to apologize for all this- one day, you'll appreciate why it was all necessary, but I know that doesn't make things any easier now."

"Damn right it doesn't" Beastboy shot back as he headed through the door.

Out in the waiting area, Charlie's bonds finally released him, and he struggled to get to his feet but plainly his ordeal had left him weak and the others had to help him walk back to Beastboy's cell. Once there, Jim and Joey made their goodbyes while Charlie collapsed on the couch. Beastboy raced to the bathroom and returned bearing a glass of cold water. Charlie took a long drink before sitting up.

"What the hell happened in there?" he asked, his voice raw. "I mean, was it about your escape?"

Beastboy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Kinda. Ya see…" . The Changeling gave a brief outline of what had happened during his interview, and as he spoke Charlie's face became more and more shocked.

"Lemme see if I got this straight- this quack asked you how often you play with your pickle and when you got shy he started shocking me?" Charlie asked, incredulous. When the green boy nodded, he slouched forward and put his head in his hands. "Christ, what've I gotten myself into? This is NOT what I signed on for- they told me it would be easy guard duty. No rough stuff, no danger and you can be damn sure no one said anything about getting electrocuted."

Beastboy sat down beside his friend and patted him on the shoulder. He wanted to push the subject a little further- to try and find out more about his captors- but he sensed that his friend was in a vulnerable state right now, and it wouldn't be right to just take advantage of that. "Look, Charlie, I'll do what I can to keep him from hurting you anymore. I'll play his game and answer his sick little questions on almost any subject- but if he starts asking me dangerous stuff, like who Robin is or how to trap my friends…"

Charlie nodded. "I gotcha. Can't even say as I blame ya. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

So far it hadn't- subsequent meetings with Doc had stayed away from such dangerous topics and even away from the whole superhero angle of his life. Instead, Doc had asked him questions about a whole range of weird things- his relationship with the Doom Patrol, what he'd learned over the course of his travels, where he liked to go in Jump City, his favorite movies, and even what he thought about politics. Some had been embarrassing, some had not. If there was a pattern, or an overall plan at work, he couldn't figure out what it was. So far, there'd been no more electrocutions, but the threat remained.

Eventually, Beastboy was forced to return to the present, as they arrived at the usual waiting room, where a single chair stood in the center of the room. Heaving a sigh, Charlie sat, allowing the restraints to lock him down. Beastboy merely continued into the interview room, taking his seat on the couch.

"Good day Beastboy" Doc said through his speaker. "I trust you're well?"

"Peachy" Beastboy replied.

"Quite. I'd like to talk to you today about you powers. It's been some time since you were able to use them, hasn't it? How does that make you feel?"

"Weird" the shape shifter replied. "It's really not something I can put into words, though. It's like I suddenly stopped being able to walk or something- every so often I feel like going for a flight or a swim, or even just changing into another creature for a little while. Then I remember that oh yeah, I can't do that anymore."

"It's purely temporary, I'm told" Doc said, in what was obviously meant to be a reassuring tone. "So you often change shape outside of combat?"

"It's not something you'd really get dude." Beastboy answered with a shrug. "I mean, have you ever flown over a city and looked at things with the eyes of a hawk? Ever explored your own home using the senses of a cat or dog? Gone on an epic safari through your garden in the shape of a beetle? Every animal sees the world in a totally different way, and I like to experience 'em all. Plus, some shapes are really handy- nothing gets jars open quicker than a gorilla's grip and a giraffe is great at reaching the high shelves."

"Indeed. What does it feel like when you change your shape?"

Beastboy's eyes widened a bit. "You know something, Doc? That's the first time anyone's ever asked me that."

"Really?" Doc sounded surprised. "It's an obvious question, though, isn't it?"

"I guess. But no one else ever asked." Beastboy frowned before continuing. "It's actually really painful- remember my bones are stretching and reshaping, my organs are shifting position, and my body has to grow or absorb parts, not to mention the joys of growing or shrinking. It only lasts for a split second, so I guess I really can't whine, but it's still really painful"

"Yet you still do it even when you don't have to?"

The green boy shrugged again. "Like I said, changing shapes opens up too many new experiences and opportunities for me not to do it when I can. A little agony's a small price to pay."

"I can believe it. Tell me, does your girlfriend, ah, take advantage of your abilities? When you're alone together?"

Beastboy sighed and settled in for another long session.

A/N  
Believe it or not, this will be important later. For right now, I think it helps shed a little light on the kind of people behind Beastboy's abduction, and to show that it's not all fun and games for him.


	61. Chapter 61

Recently, it seemed to Raven, the Titans had spent far too much time simply waiting. First they had waited for Beastboy to return from his stay at the hospital. Then they had waited for the new Titans North to assemble in Jump City. Next, they had waited for the three Rogues who had spoken to Scarecrow to surface. And now the Titans sat in the Batcave and waited for Batman to return from Gotham Police Central. It wasn't the way she would have chosen to do things, but her training in Azerath had taught her that patience and careful planning were always better than haste and impulsive action.

The Dark Knight had elected to question the Riddler himself- the green-clad puzzler was famous for his intellectual snobbishness and would likely ignore questions from those he considered inferiors. But he considered Batman to be one of his few equals- indeed, some said that his entire criminal career was nothing but an attempt to prove himself more brilliant than his foe. Therefore, Batman would have a better chance of getting Nygma to talk. That didn't mean the Titans were happy about the wait- they all knew that what Batman learned tonight would likely determine when, or if, they would ever see Beastboy again. That thought never left their minds, and made the wait all but unbearable.

Now, the young heroes attempted to keep themselves busy as the clock slowly ticked away the time. Robin and Batgirl were engaged in a light sparring session- Robin using his bo staff to give himself a reach advantage which almost offset Batgirl's superior skills. Ordinarily the two greatly enjoyed their spars together- Tim liked to test himself against Batgirl's phenomenal skill, while Cassie found Robin's unpredictable fighting style a challenge. But now they were so distracted that they took no pleasure from the contest. Their blows were poorly aimed, their dodging and footwork clumsy, and neither of them seemed as energetic as they normally would.

Nearby, Cyborg and Starfire attempted to take their minds off their worry through vigorous exercise. Starfire was running on the treadmill, an exercise she normally detested- she seldom spent much time on foot and could fly much faster than she could run, so there wasn't much point. Now, however, she sprinted as quickly as she could in an attempt to outrun her worries, or at least burn off her nervous energy. Her lungs were burning and her muscles ached, but it was helping. Cyborg, on the other hand, was engaged in shadow boxing and had succeeded in largely distracting himself, concentrating totally on the rhythm of punching and dodging. The truth was that his brawl with Killer Croc had shown him that his fighting abilities still needed work, and so he had resolved to practice as often as he could. He'd devised a routine for himself, one that would focus on footwork and quick attacks, the two areas he felt he was weakest in. The metal man lost himself in his routine, focusing totally on his efforts and putting the current crisis from his mind as best he could.

Alone in a far corner of the vast chamber Raven herself sat and meditated. Ordinarily, her meditation was a restful experience- a chance to withdraw from the chaotic life of a superhero and restore her mental and emotional equilibrium. Her carefully controlled lifestyle meant that her emotions were rarely that difficult to restrain under normal circumstances. These however, were not normal circumstances. Not only was she experiencing the loneliness and uncertainty that had plagued her since Beastboy's disappearance, but now she had to deal with the tantalizing knowledge that, at any moment, Batman could return with the information that would either see her reunited with her lover or confirm that he was lost to her. Added to this, the young empath could feel her friends' emotions- a heady mixture of dread, hope, fear, anticipation and anger. They constantly washed over her, eroding her self-control and making her own feelings even more volatile.  
Even as she meditated, her emotions raged. Timid wept that she was useless, that she hadn't been of any real help in the hunt for Beastboy. That if they ever found Beastboy, he would realize what a horrible person she was and would leave her. That she would be alone again, and that she deserved to be. Happy was giddy at the knowledge that soon they would know where her boyfriend was being kept- that they would easily be able to overpower his captor and restore him to her side. Rage was howling for blood and vengeance against Scarecrow, promising that the so-called 'Master of Fear' would learn a lesson in terror and pain that only a demon could teach. Her other emotions were all trying to make themselves heard, and she had to struggle just to maintain her self-control.

Eventually, she gave up trying to achieve true calm and rose from her seat. Looking around, she saw her fellow Titans engaged in their training/displacement activities and heaved a sigh. She'd hoped one of them would be free to talk- while unburdening herself to a friend wasn't as effective as meditating to control her emotions, it was better than nothing. Instead, she wandered around the rest of the Batcave, drinking in the ambient emotional residue. As part of her training in Azarath, Raven had learned to open her empathic abilities to the resonances of her surroundings. The Batcave was almost totally saturated with emotions of focus, calm, and determination which made it an ideal place for Raven to relax. Today, however, she found herself drawn to the one place in the cave which did not share this soothing feeling- the costume vault.

This part of the massive cave was drenched in sadness, loss, and shame; all of it tied to a single item. In a cylindrical glass case, stood a mannequin dressed in a costume similar to Robin's, with only few minor differences. No name plate or plaque adorned the case- clearly any visitor was expected to know what the costume signified and who it had belonged to. Raven started as she remembered what Robin had said back when the Joker had first come to Jump City (had it really been only six months before?)- that there had been another Robin between himself and Dick Grayson, who had been murdered by the Mad Mime. "So this is Jason Todd?" she breathed to herself.

"Yup" said a voice from behind her.

Whirling around, she saw Nightwing standing behind her, an unusually serious expression on his face. Raven was a bit embarrassed- if she hadn't been so distracted by her inner turmoil she would have sensed his presence.

"It must have been hard to lose him" she said, more for something to say than anything else. She really wasn't good at comforting people- her life hadn't really prepared her for it.

"For Batman, it was. For me…" the older vigilante shifted uncomfortably. "The truth is, I never really knew Jason at all. I wasn't on speaking terms with Bruce at the time that he recruited him, plus I was kinda bitter about being replaced so quickly. When I heard he'd died, I remember thinking that it was a shame but that was about it. Now, though, I can't help but think about him. Sometimes I wonder if… if maybe I could have made a difference. If I could have helped Jason move past his anger- if he might not be alive today if I had tried."

"Wondering what if is pointless." Raven replied turning back to the display case. "We can only focus on the here and now."

"I know this display has probably got you wondering about your boyfriend" Dick said "If he'll wind up as a memorial like Jason, all because we couldn't find him in time, right?"

"The thought had crossed my mind" Raven admitted. "It's always a risk in our line of work."

"Well, don't worry. I promise we won't be building any more memorials any time soon" He said with a smile. "We just don't have that much free space left."

Raven frowned as she turned back to him. "This isn't the time for jokes."

Nightwing gave her a cheeky grin. "You sound just like Bruce. You frown like him too. Did you know your father well?"

"Better than I ever wanted to" Raven replied, her voice as monotone as ever as she walked away. She knew Dick was trying to lighten the mood with humor and ordinarily it might have worked. Having defeated her father and banished him back to his own hellish dimension, she wasn't as sensitive about him as she might have been. But today the joke just made her think of Gar and how it was just the sort of bad joke he might have used to try and cheer her up. It just made her miss him even more, and increased the anxiety she was already feeling. She decided to try meditation once more.

Back at the display case a confused Dick Grayson shrugged. "Was it something I said?"

* * *

Edward Nygma was not a happy man. It wasn't just that he was in a police interrogation room- unpleasant though that was, it was familiar territory for him and barely caused him annoyance these days. No, it was the circumstances that brought him here that were infuriating him. That he, the Puzzle Prince of Gotham City, should have been arrested by ordinary cops who weren't even looking for him at the time! It was humiliating. All he'd wanted was to purchase some ordinary lions for use in his latest plot to prove his superiority to the Dark Knight. He'd never even suspected that the warehouse being used by his contact was part of a police operation aimed at smugglers.

He leaned back as far as his chair would allow and sighed. How had he come to this? He was the Riddler! The most brilliant criminal mastermind in the entire world! He should be rolling in money and feared by all! Instead he was brought down to the station by ordinary cops and booked as if he were no more than a common drug runner or purse snatcher! Now he was going to be questioned, no doubt to provide more information about the smuggling rings. Or more accurately, he was waiting to be questioned- he'd been brought to this room almost half an hour ago and had yet to see a single officer.

"Honestly, what are they waiting for?" he muttered to himself.

"Me."

Nygma spun around- or tried to. He'd been handcuffed to the chair with two cuffs (one on his leg and one on his wrist) and the chair was bolted to the floor. As a result all he managed to do was strain his shoulder and look foolish. Unconcerned, Batman walked around from behind him to glare down at him.

"What are you up to this time, Riddler?" the Dark Knight growled, leaning forward.

"I think the bats in your belfry are starting to have an effect" Nygma responded testily. "I'm not up to anything- I was caught before I could do anything."

Batman reached out and yanked him forward, causing the cuffs to dig painfully into his leg and wrist. "Don't play games with me. We both know you'd never be caught like that unless it served some greater purpose- you're too smart to be taken in by an ordinary sting operation. Obviously you must have wanted to be captured as part of some larger plan."

Nygma smirked, despite his discomfort. "While I'm pleased to see you have such a high opinion of me, I'm afraid this time the World's Greatest Detective needs to get a clue. It was just a piece of unfortunate timing on my part- believe me this is not how I envisioned my evening. I was hoping for a night of fun with my Hench girls, not a night of questions with you"

Batman pulled him even further forward, and Nygma had to wince at the pain as the cuffs dug into his flesh. "I know you and Scarecrow are up to something together- you were spotted having a long talk with him. So, one more time- What are you two up to?"

Nygma's eyes grew wide, not with fear but with indignation. "Me? Work with Crane? The man's a hack and a lunatic! His crimes are stupid, artless and completely pointless! One step above jumping out of a bush and yelling Boo! I'd partner with Killer Moth before I accepted help from that straw-stuffed second-rater!"

Batman's face never wavered for a moment, but inwardly the Dark Knight was grinning. "Oh really? You were one of the last people Crane spoke to before vanishing. Then you get caught in a trap you should have seen coming from a mile away. I don't buy it. Give me answers before I beat them out of you."

"Talking to… I haven't spoken or even seen that lunatic for months!" Nygma spat, his face reddening.

Batman shoved him back and the masked megalomaniac hit the back of his chair hard. "Convince me." Batman growled.

"I happened upon him in the Iceberg back at the start of summer, and I noticed that he was actually smiling. As you can guess, that's not a normal expression for him and I asked what he was so happy about. He spent the next twenty minutes gloating about how he was going to pay back an old debt by doing something he'd wanted to do for years. He was in such a good mood that he actually bought me a drink and offered a toast to settling old scores."

Batman leaned in. "Did he say anything else?"

"No. That's all I know. Crane left after we drank the toast, and I haven't seen him since. We're hardly partners." Riddler said, calmer now as the anger and indignation left his body. When he looked up, there was a smile on his face" So, once more, the Dark Knight stumbled and needed me to point out his error. It seems tonight WAS a good night for me after all."

"Hardly, Nygma. I just wanted to know what Crane's been up to." Batman said as he turned away and headed for the door. "I told you I thought you two were working together because I knew your massive ego would never let that stand- that you'd tell me everything you knew rather than let me think you needed help. Now I'll just leave you for the detectives- they're eager to ask you about your friends the smugglers. Try not to let them entrap you again."

The slam of the door drowned out the Riddler's squawk of protest.

* * *

Back at the Batcave, the Titans gathered around a large conference table (brought down from the manor) and listened as Batman told them of what he'd learned at police headquarters. When he was finished, Starfire raised her hand hesitantly.

"Please excuse me, but I do not see that this helps us." She said timidly. "Many super villains feel that they have numerous enemies they must avenge themselves upon, do they not? How can we know which of the scores this Scarecrow wishes to be settled?"

Batman nodded. "Ordinarily, Starfire, you'd be right- Crane's life is one long list of bitter grudges. But according to Nygma, Scarecrow was extremely happy to have the opportunity to settle this grudge and he implied that it was a long-standing one. That leads me to believe that he intends to strike against Gotham University for dismissing him many years ago. It is, in his twisted mind, the worst insult he has ever endured and the cause of his becoming the Scarecrow."

Robin snapped his fingers excitedly and leaped from his seat. "It also fits with what Mister Freeze told Raven and Batgirl! Gotham University's main campus is full of tall buildings which Crane could be using as his hideout."

"It does" Batman nodded, unfurling a set of blueprints. "But I think I know which one he's picked. These are the plans for the old Gotham University chapel. It was originally built by the Wayne Family in the late part of the 19th century, but fell into disrepair and disuse. Last year, the Wayne Foundation paid to refurbish it and reopen it as an Interfaith Study Center. The chapel is located near the university's administrative offices, it has been mostly empty for several months and the old bell tower is still one of the highest points on campus. All these points make it an excellent location for someone planning a massive chemical attack on the school."

"So" Raven said, keeping her voice carefully neutral "We know where Crane is. Now what?"

"Now" Batman replied "We plan a rescue operation."

For the first in days, Raven felt like smiling. She didn't, of course, but she felt like it. At last they were making what felt like real progress towards retrieving Beastboy.

A/N

Not my longest chapter but not bad. Let's see some reviews!

The next chapter will be significantly longer- and it will mark the END of Recovery! Will Beastboy be saved? Will Scarecrow be stopped? Will this story reach 600 reviews? (I hope so!)  
Some of you will feel that this is a bit rushed- that I can't possibly give this story a proper end in one chapter. All I can say is you'll have to wait and see. I can't guarantee you'll like it, in fact I'm damned certain many of you won't, but I hope you'll see that it's the only real way to end Recovery. Until then!


	62. Chapter 62

The Titans and their allies sat in the main chamber of the Batcave, clustered around a large table usually reserved for forensic examinations. Tonight, it held a set of blueprints for the nearly completed Gotham University Interfaith Study Center- formerly the Wayne Chapel, and current hideout of Jonathan Crane.

The plans described a large, airy building with a cavernous main hall which was being turned into a large library. At the back were a number of small rooms, originally the chapel's rectory and living quarters and now being turned into a set of conference rooms. Two subterranean floors had also been added, intended as storage facilities. Most significantly, the building also had a large three story clock tower attached. It was slated to become a set of administrative offices, but at present it was empty- at least in theory. According to their intelligence, this was almost certainly where Crane was producing his toxins and therefore where Beastboy was most likely being kept.

Nightwing had been sent on a reconnaissance mission over an hour before. According to his estimates, Crane had somewhere between fifteen and twenty henchmen acting as guards throughout the building. They were reasonably well-armed, bearing a mixture of semi-automatic weapons which they carried with the air of experienced gunmen, possibly even professional mercenaries. They also had a small number of heavy weapons among them- including at least one rocket propelled grenade launcher. Given this opposition, a simple assault was out of the question, even for an experienced group like the Titans . As they examined the blueprints, Batman began to lay out his plan of attack.

"Batgirl, Cyborg and Raven, I want you three to make the initial assault through the main hall. Knowing Crane, that's where he'll have placed the majority of his hired muscle. I don't expect you to get very far, however- the construction means there will be a great deal of cover available to both sides. Don't push them too hard, however; your role is to serve as a distraction and to draw as many guards down to the main hall as you can. Raven, I want you to be especially carefully- given the nature of your powers, a dose of Crane's fear gas would prove catastrophic not only for this mission but for the city as a whole. While unlikely, it's not inconceivable that Crane has given small amounts to his thugs to use as weapons."

"Agreed" Raven replied, her gaze never leaving the plans. She tapped one section with a thin gray finger. "Should we make our entrance through these large windows? That would grant us the element of surprise and throw our opponents into disarray"

"Ordinarily that would be my recommendation, yes" Batman said "but remember that your goal is to act as a diversion for as long as possible. To that end, we want the fight to go on for as long as possible. Therefore, a frontal assault- made with as much noise and fury as possible- is what we require"

"Gotcha- lotta sound and fury, signifying nothing" Cyborg quipped, to wry smiles. "But what are we diverting them from?"

Batman reached down and tapped a small room at the back of the plans. "Here is where Robin and I will make our entrance- through a window at the back of the rectory. According to Nightwing's intelligence, Crane is using it as a storage facility for the runoff from his toxin production. The air inside is highly toxic, which is why it's unguarded but my hazardous environment gear should keep us safe. We will quietly and quickly make our way up the clock tower, which should hopefully be free of guards. Once we reach the top, Robin will go look for your friend while I attend to Crane and his toxin. . If you defeat Crane's thugs before we have captured him or rescued your friend, he may use Beastboy as a hostage to secure his own freedom- or he may simply kill him. It is vital that you NOT defeat his gunmen before you hear from me."

"Have a question." Batgirl interrupted. "Why us? No offense, Tim, but am better fighter than you. Raven could teleport to top of clock tower. Bypass all guards. So why being sent on diversion."

"Raven could indeed teleport us directly to Crane, but that would put her at risk of being exposed to his Fear Gas- a risk I am not prepared to take. Batgirl, you are there to maintain the illusion that this is our main attack. I want you to use as many of my signature weapons- batarangs, bat bolas and so forth- as you can to make the enemy believe that I am there myself. Cyborg you were chosen to lead the assault based on your prior leadership experience and because you're the only one other than me I trust to drive my car."

Cyborg's head shot up and his eyes bulged, a massive smile stretching his mouth. Batman sighed. "Yes, I trust you to drive the Batmobile. Please don't make me regret that decision."

Cyborg leapt from the table and began to dance around the cave, clapping his hands with glee. The others watched him for a time, but when he showed no signs of stopping Raven lifted him off his feet with her power and deposited him back in his seat before slapping the back of his head.

"Focus." She said, her emotionless tone belied by the glare on her face. "We're nearly at the end, and Beastboy is almost as good as rescued. I won't let it all fall apart because you were overexcited about a giant phallic vehicle."

"Sorry, Rae." Cyborg said sheepishly. "You're right- gettin' my little buddy back is the most important thing. It's just, well, driving the Batmobile is a dream come true. I guess it just overwhelmed me a little."

"I have a question" Starfire interjected. "What is to be my role in all of this? Surely, you do not intend for me to simply wait here for you?"

"Starfire, your powers make you very useful in virtually any situation we might come across, and so you are going to be a mobile reserve force. You will circle the building from the air and listen to the communicators. If anyone seems to need help, you will move to aid them. If you see someone attempting to escape, or if outside forces attempt to come to Crane's aid, you will stop them."

Starfire was about to voice her agreement when she felt Robin taking her hand.

"Is it wise to leave her alone like that?" he asked "We know Crane's penchant for attacking targets he perceives as helpless. I know Star can take care of herself against virtually any foe but that Fear Gas…"

Before Batman could respond to that, Starfire spoke up. "It must be me, Tim, because it can be no one else. My gift of flight will allow me to respond to a call for help faster than any of us save Raven, and she is limited by her inability to rely upon her powers in the presence of the mad. If I do not accept this, then one of our friends may find themselves in the trouble with no one to call upon for aid."

Robin sighed and squeezed her hand. "You're right, but I don't have to like it."

Batman nodded. "That's right, you don't. We now have a workable plan and will be leaving shortly. Starfire, come with me for a review of the surrounding area and possible patrol routes. The rest of you, make whatever preparations you feel are necessary then meet back here in thirty minutes." The Dark Knight reached into his utility belt and withdrew three small syringes. "This is an antidote to Crane's fear toxin- it's extremely complex and I only have three doses available at this time. Batgirl, Robin and myself as the only fully human members of our team, will be carrying them. I cannot predict the effects of the chemical on non- and partial humans, so the rest of you should try not to get poisoned."

The next thirty minutes passed in a blur. Robin and Batgirl spent the time optimizing their utility belts, with Batgirl occasionally grumbling about the need for so many tools. Ordinarily the silent girl carried only the bare essentials, preferring as she did to rely on her own phenomenal skills. Tonight, however, she needed to give the appearance that she was the Batman himself, and so she loaded up with her mentor's signature tools. In contrast, Robin spent most of his time emptying his belt. His role in tonight's mission would focus largely on stealth which meant that his usual assortment of armaments and weapons would only get in his way. So he reluctantly removed his exploding discs, his freeze bombs, his bo staff and the steel caps of his boots- and was surprised at how vulnerable he felt.

Cyborg occupied himself in studying the Batmobile. Batman's main vehicle was a one of a kind car, with systems and abilities that put even his beloved T-Car to shame. It would take days, possibly weeks, to become truly familiar with every facet of this magnificent car. But they didn't have that kind of time, so Cyborg cheated a bit. He hooked his own central processor unit into the Batmobile's sophisticated onboard system and downloaded as much information as he could- instructions, protocols, safety procedures and more. Normally the cybernetic hero avoided learning things in this manner; quite apart from the alien feel of knowledge literally flooding into his brain, information gained in this way never lasted long. His human mind couldn't learn things like that, and so the information was relegated to his short term memory, to be forgotten within a few days. Still, it would give him enough proficiency to make it through tonight and that was enough for right now.

Raven had originally intended to go over Crane's profile in the Batcomputer. She hoped that, if she familiarized herself with his particular mental illnesses, she might be able to predict what sort of effect he might have on her psyche. But she found herself distracted by another program, running in a small window at the lower right corner of the Batcomputer's main screen. It was a live transmission from the camera in the Joker's cell at Arkham. No matter how hard she tried to pull herself away from the small screen, she found herself being drawn back again and again to stare at the monster that'd done so much to her and her family.

At the moment, the Joker seemed to be sleeping. He lay still on his narrow bunk, his arms crossed behind his head. He seemed utterly tranquil, totally harmless… and completely helpless. Raven could hear her darker emotions whispering at the back of her mind. Rage tempted her with visions of bloody vengeance- of unleashing her father's heritage to turn the clown into a bloody smear and a cautionary tale about angering demons. The temptation was strong, since by all accounts few would complain if she did kill the Joker, and fewer still would seek to punish her. But, in the end, she knew that she couldn't do it- her upbringing in Azerath and her time as a Titan had imbued her with a horror of killing and if she crossed the line now she would never be able to live with herself. With a sigh she rose from the computer and went to meditate, determined to balance herself as much as possible for the night ahead.

* * *

Jerry "Cutter" Nelson marched idly through the old chapel which had been his home for the last two months performing his hourly patrol. At his side were Jimmy O'Reilly and Bob "Bugshit" Johnson, his comrades in arms for most of his adult life. The three men had been in the military together, and had survived multiple tours of duty in some truly god-awful hellholes across the world in conflicts that never made even the back pages of the news. Five years ago, the three had decided that if they were going to be risking their lives it was going to be for better pay than what the army offered and deserted together. They hooked up with a small mercenary company, Thunderbolt Solutions, and had soon learned just what a poor decision they had made. Thunderbolt Solutions made its money by renting highly trained killers to various dictators and crime lords. The three men found themselves fighting in the exact same hellholes as before, only now they were fighting on the other side, killing men they'd once served with. The three had considered quitting, but eventually had to reject that idea- after all, where would they go? All they could do was to keep their heads down and hope for a better job to come along.

Now here they were in Gotham, leading a team of mercenaries hired by a madman in a costume to act as security. At first they thought it was easy duty too; act as toy soldiers for a small time loony and guard him from enemies who, while highly skilled and resourceful, were famous for never killing OR using guns. Their quarters in the basement were, if not luxurious, at least clean and reasonably comfortable. The group had been downright cheerful, so much so that after a few days one of their number- a Congolese veteran named Nkem Okoro- had teased their employer about his costume.

Nkem's death had changed their mood. Crane hadn't even looked up. He'd simply raised his arm and sprayed a yellowish vapor into the Nkem's face. The hardened fighter had screamed in terror until his heart gave out, crying out about vengeful ghosts while his companions were forced to stand there and watch. When it was over, the lanky maniac had turned to face his employees and gave them a thin smile. "I trust there will be no further need for me to invoke the Punitive Clause in our contract?" he'd said before leaving.

The Punitive Clause was a standard part of Thunderbolt Solutions contracts; it stated that the employer had the right to punish the mercenaries as necessary, provided he was willing to pay a significant fee. This was response to the paranoia of their typical clients, who were uneasy at the presence of heavily armed men who were beyond their direct control. In truth it was seldom used, since the fee was so high as to make casual killing an expensive proposition, but plainly the Scarecrow was not dissuaded by mere expense and would kill any or all of them if he felt it necessary to do so.

Nevertheless, they had a job to do. The mercenaries soon organized a patrol roster which allowed the entire building to receive equal coverage. Two teams of three patrolled the main chamber, walking down the aisles between the empty desks and bookcases. A further three men patrolled the clock tower staircase, moving between the floors to ensure no one snuck in that way. Four more men patrolled the area around the chapel disguised as campus security- they were lightly armed but well trained and acted as recon. Finally, a further four men waited in the cellar storage areas, acting as a reserve force. The small building was as secure as a fortress and Jeremy was positive that whatever plans his employer was working on could proceed safely. Then he and his fellow mercs could leave, possibly after showing Crane the unofficial cost of invoking the Punitive clause- namely, that a large number of well-trained killers were now angry at you.

These plans were shattered when, with a roar, a massive black car crashed through the front door of the building. Years of combat experience caused Jerry and his team to train their guns on the vehicle, but before they could open fire a burst of smoke jetted from the front of the car.

Using the smokescreen as a cover, Cyborg and his team exited the Batmobile. Cyborg had immensely enjoyed the trip- the batmobile handled like a dream and had more gadgets than he'd ever imagined. The short drive over had given him ideas on modifications and upgrades he would make to the T-Car when they returned to Jump City. Enhancements to the suspension, built-in smokescreen, variable-density tires… the list when on and on. But he put those thoughts aside for now, and began to overturn tables and bookcases to create cover for his team while Raven and Batgirl distracted their attackers. He had purposely turned the Batmobile as it crashed through the door so that its armored bulk would protect them from attacks from outside. Satisfied that they were as well protected as he could make them, he converted his arm to sonic cannon mode and began scanning for targets. As they had decided, he focused part of his attention on the outside of the building, where Nightwing suggested at least some of the guards were likely to be stationed.

Raven used her powers to hurl debris at the gun men, using her empathic senses to pinpoint them despite the nearly impenetrable smoke screen. She took care not to injure any of them too badly this early into the fight, knowing as she did that this had to last for as long as possible. The empath also took care not to push herself too far. While telekinesis was a very easy ability for her to use, she could feel the faintest tingle of Crane's insanity at the very edge of her psyche. The madman was close, just a few floors above her head. He wasn't close enough to affect her powers, but past experience made her cautious0 it wouldn't do to have her powers run out of control here.

All the while, though, she made sure to keep part of her mind devoted to controlling her emotions. Even before they had arrived at the chapel, her emotions had been unbalanced- with Rage, Happiness, Worry and Hope all battling for control of her mind. The addition of

Meanwhile, Batgirl moved silently about the room. Since her return to Gotham, she'd had Batman install a simplified version of his cowl's sensory equipment into her own costume. While it did not give her the same capabilities as her mentor, it did allow her to penetrate the smoke and gloom with ease. Her skills in stealth allowed her to move among the mercenaries, sometimes only a foot or so away from them, without being spotted. She selected her target carefully, choosing a man in the center of one of the squads who appeared to be in command. She moved away and pulled a batarang from her belt. Unfolding the projectile she took aim and threw it.

The weighted batarang connected with the man's forehead, driving him to his knees. Though dazed, Jerry Nelson scrabbled back upright and ordered his team mates to cover him while he scanned the ground for a trace of whatever hit him. When he saw the batarang his blood went cold. He pulled his walkie talkie from its pocket and pushed the button to address all his men.

"All guards converge on the main room! Batman is attacking here!" he shouted. "I repeat ALL guards converge on the main room NOW!"

"But sir" came the reply, and Jerry recognized the voice as Marcel Gauthier- one of his campus patrollers "what if this is just a trick? What if Batman's trying to lure us off so someone else can get in?"

"Crane ordered us to make Batman our number one priority" he responded. "Therefore, we deal with Batman. If someone else sneaks in, that's not our problem- we obeyed his orders to the letter just like our contract said we would. Now get down here!"

Batgirl gave a single satisfied nod and leapt up onto one of the bookcases. The guards were now thoroughly convinced that Batman was making his attack from the front, and would abandon their posts to deal with this threat. She fired her grappling line up towards the far corner and soared up. Using the hook as an anchor, she braced her feet against the wall and surveyed the scene. The Titans were in an excellent position- the Batmobile and the overturned furniture provided them with excellent cover on all sides, allowing Raven and Cyborg to keep their opponents from maneuvering. The thick smokescreen still clouded the room, lowering the visibility level to almost nothing, allowing her to move easily around the room and pick off the mercenaries at her leisure. Under normal circumstances, she estimated it would take no more than five or six minutes for them to neutralize the entire force. Instead, she triggered her communicator and selected the encrypted channel reserved for Batman alone.

"Plan is working" she whispered. "All guards here."

From his perch a block away, the Dark Knight nodded to himself. No reply was needed. Instead he looked down at his former sidekick who stood beside him on the roof of the university's library. Robin smiled back at him and reached for his own grappling gun. Together, they leapt off the room and fired off a line, beginning their silent approach to the clock tower. As they went, the Boy Wonder glanced at the battle unfolding below. Three men were arrayed around the front of the chapel, firing their pistols at the Batmobile which blocked the doorway. Periodically, a bolt of sonic energy would erupt from behind the armored vehicle, always close enough to the attackers to force them away but never close enough to hurt them. Clearly, Cyborg was being careful not to end the fight too quickly.

Reaching their goal, the two vigilantes examined the tower for an entrance. Most of the windows had been carefully bricked up, but one window on the second floor had clearly been a rush job. The bricks were uneven, the mortaring thin and there was a small crack in the side. Robin moved forward and withdrew an explosive disc from his utility belt. He looked up at his mentor and tilted his head at the disc questioningly.

Batman held up a finger and triggered his communicator, selecting the channel he'd set aside for Cyborg. "We need a distraction in twenty seconds- something to cover up a loud noise."

"Gotcha" came the immediate reply. "Twenty seconds and counting."

Robin carefully wedged the disc into the crack in the wall, and set the timer. Ten seconds later, the dynamic duo heard the impact of a massive sonic blast on the ceiling of the main chamber. At almost exactly the same time, Robin's disc detonated, creating a large blast and demolishing the window. Robin nodded once, proud of his team mate- Cyborg's distraction had been perfectly timed. Furthermore, the guards would assume that the noise of the explosion was just a result of Cyborg's sonic attack.

Batman took the lead, entering the tower and quickly making his way up to the main chamber at the top. Robin followed him, moving backwards up the steps so that he could watch for pursuit. When they reached the top, they found a large wooden door barring their path. Batman launched a kick that tore it from its hinges- clearly the time for stealth was over. But no sooner had the Dark Knight entered the room then a large hammer crashed down onto his head. The heavy armor of his cowl absorbed a good deal of the blow, but it was still enough to send Batman to his knees- Crane always avoided physical confrontation, and so the attack had caught Batman off guard. Robin moved to intercept the madman, but rather than immediately making good his escape, the gangly psychopath leapt toward Robin, extending one hand to the Boy Wonders face.

"So nice to see you again" Scarecrow said, dark glee evident in his voice. "It's been such a long time. Let's see if your screams are as pleasant as I recall."

With that, a puff of gas burst from Scarecrow's palm and enveloped Robin's head. Years of training caused him to almost instinctively hold his breath, but Crane surprised him once more with a savage punch to the stomach. The blow wasn't strong enough to cause any real damage, but it was enough to drive the air from Robin's lungs and instinctively the young hero gasped in a lungful of air as Crane bolted down the stairs.

_"Well, that was amusingly pointless wasn't it?" Slade said, stepping out of the shadows which were spreading across the room. "All that preparation, all that work, all your friends risking their lives and you managed to fail within a few seconds of entering the room."_

_Robin glared at the older man. He didn't question what his arch enemy was doing in Gotham, much less how he'd gotten into the chapel. Nor did he wonder why they were suddenly completely alone. Instead he withdrew his Bo staff and adopted a fighting stance. "I haven't failed yet, Slade."_

_If Slade noticed his former apprentice's aggressive posture he made no sign. He calmly walked forward, arms crossed behind his back. "Haven't you? Your partner is down, your friends are outnumbered, the man you came here to apprehend has escaped and there's still no sign of your missing team mate"_

_Robin didn't rise to this, instead feinting with his bo staff before launching a vicious side kick. As he expected, Slade dodged the blow from his staff. What Robin had not expected was for Slade to catch his foot in mid-kick and to toss him clear across the room. Robin hit the ground with his shoulder, rolled and came up in a crouch. Before he could move, however, Slade was already right in front of him- Robin hadn't even seen him move._

_"But you failed him even before that, didn't you?" Slade said, his voice as cold and quiet as ever. "You let him get taken from that hospital- the hospital he was in because of YOUR attempt at treatment. You let him get kidnapped by the Joker. All of this is your fault, isn't it Robin? No matter how hard you try you can't save anyone. Not your parents, not your friends, not your lover… You bring death and suffering to everyone you love."_

_Robin snarled and launched a series of clumsy attacks. "That's…not…true!"_

_Quick as a flash, Slade's hands were around his neck. Robin struggled, but his opponent was far too strong. "Oh but it is, and I think you know it. Why not just surrender, Robin? Why not give in and save everyone so much pain. You know I'll win in the end. I always do. "_

Batman shook his head as he rose from the ground. Despite his cowl, Crane's surprise attack had dazed him badly. He looked around and growled- Scarecrow was nowhere to be seen. Robin lay on the ground, thrashing about in the grip of some poison-induced nightmare. Batman raced to the young hero's side, withdrawing the antidote to Crane's fear gas from his belt. It took a moment to subdue his one-time partner enough to safely inject him with the antidote, and he knew that by then his chances of catching Crane were slim. It would be up to one of the others.

Starfire flew around the building in a tight circle, maintaining a constant speed and keeping her eyes firmly on the ground. IT had been hard to watch her team mates charge into battle and not move to aid them. As a Tamaranian, she bridled at the thought of leaving others to do the fighting for her- her warrior's soul yearned to be in the thick of the fighting. Her softer side (what Robin jokingly called Human Starfire) worried for her dear friends. Although she knew them to be great fighters in their own right, she felt like she was abandoning them. But she had her role to play within the Batman's plan, and a warrior must obey her orders.

She had been greatly pleased at the way things appeared to be unfolding. The enemy seemed to be well contained, and her friends did not appear to need her aid. She saw Batman and Robin make their entrance to the building- and noted how handsome Robin looked in the moonlight. She quickly shook such thoughts from her mind and resumed her flight, forcing her mind on to the present. There would be plenty of time to admire Robin's form later. Her attention was caught by the sight of a gangly human in strange clothes exiting the tower through the hole created by Robin. Flying in for a closer look, she saw that it was indeed the Scarecrow and swooped in to intercept him.

The alien girl snatched Scarecrow up into the air, making sure not to fly too high up- she could not guarantee that Crane would not escape her grasp, after all, and if he were to fall to his death Robin would be most displeased with her. Looking around, she could see two figures emerging from the clock tower. Robin looked pale and disturbed while Batman seemed to be somewhat dizzy, but their presence was enough to reassure her.

"Surrender now" she said, her voice calm and confident. "There is no chance of escape. Batman will be here within seconds to question you. Simply cooperate with him and no further harm will befall you."

In response, Crane wriggled until he managed to get one arm free. Shoving his hand into her face as best he could, the self-proclaimed God of Fear triggered a burst of his trademark greenish gas. Starfire, surprised by this unexpected display of contortionism, gasped involuntarily… then exhaled as hard as she could. Her powerful lungs, adapted to long periods of flying through the vacuum of space, drove the gas directly into the lanky lunatics face. Crane went rigid for a moment, then began thrashing while screaming as though all the demons of hell were tormenting him.

Startled, the Tamaranian princess let her captive drop to the ground, where he writhed about screaming about bats. Within moments, Batman and Robin arrived on the scene and immediately moved to attend to Crane. Starfire landed, concern written upon her face.

"Is he well?" She asked worriedly.

Robin gave her an angry look. "What were you thinking, Star? We told you over and over again how dangerous Crane's gas was! You know that our antidote wouldn't work on you…"

Before he could continue , Starfire placed a finger on his lips to silence him. "And I reasoned that in all likelihood, neither would the poison itself. It is very unlikely that Crane would seek to make his poison compatible with aliens, and less likely still that he would be able to do so even if it occurred to him."

Robin's jaw sagged open. "That-that honestly never crossed my mind" he admitted with a sheepish smile. "You were way ahead of me on this, Star and I apologize for snapping at you."

"Save the apologies for later." Batman growled, standing up and discarding the now empty syringe. Hauling Scarecrow to his feet, he leaned in to growl into his enemy's face. "It's over, Crane. Now, where is Beastboy?"

Crane's response sent Starfire's heart sinking in her chest.

"Who?" he said, honest confusion filling his voice. "Where is who?"

* * *

The Titans sat in a conference room in Gotham City's police headquarters, waiting anxiously for the results of the interrogation. Raven had entered a meditative trance the moment they'd arrived at the station, and had had to be carried up into the room. Cyborg and Starfire were pacing the room, while Robin sat muttering to himself. Only Batgirl was able to maintain her self-control.

The wait was not a long one. About thirty minutes after their arrival, Batman strode into the conference room followed closely by Commissioner Gordon.

"Crane was telling the truth" Gordon said in a weary tone. "He has no idea where your friend is, or even who he is. Apparently, several months ago, Crane was contacted by a courier representing an anonymous party. Crane was offered four million dollars in cash to pick someone up from the airport, then lie low for as long as possible."

"I should have known" Robin growled "The evidence was just too pat, too perfect. I should have KNOWN it was a set up!"

Batman put a hand on the younger hero's shoulder. "There was no way you could have known. Whoever set this up was good- each clue seemed to point to Crane, but none were so direct as to be suspicious. Even I was fooled."

"I think we're all missing a more fundamental point" Raven said, and as she spoke black energy enveloped the conference table and began to tear it in two. "Namely, where in the HELL IS BEASTBOY?"

Beastboy looked up from the television at the sound of the door opening. His guard, Joey, rose from his seat and moved to escort Charlie and two other guards into the room. Beastboy could immediately tell that something big was happening, since for the first time Charlie was carrying a rifle similar to those of the other guards. He also bore a grim expression.

"What's going on, Charlie?" the changeling asked warily as he stood up.

"I got some orders about you today, kid. They ain't such hot orders, but…" the older man grimaced, clearly not happy about whatever it was he had to do. "Listen kid, I want you to know that I really don't wanna do this. You've been a good friend and I don't want nothing to happen to you. Just wanted you to know that."

Beastboy sneered- he couldn't help it, this was just so hypocritical. "That's good Charlie. Whatever horrible thing you're gonna do to me, at least now I know you don't wanna be doing it. That'll be a big help."

"Hey come on!" Charlie protested "That ain't fair! I ain't got a choice here!"

"Neither've I dude" Beastboy replied "and that's because of you. Let's go do whatever it is we're gonna do."

**To be continued in Titanomachy- coming soon !**

A/N

Not in the face, not in the face!

Okay, okay, so I ended last chapter on a slightly deceptive note. But I never said this was the end of the story, just that it was the end of Recovery.

I've always felt that, in a story arc, each section ought to be selfcontained- addressing one section of the larger story. To be honest, Recovery SHOULD have ended around chapter 43- with Beastboy being abducted from the sanitarium. The whole Gotham search thing should have been its own story, ending about here.

For those of you about to complain that I said Scarecrow had Beastboy- read the story again. I never said that outright. I presented EVIDENCE to that effect, but I never said that that evidence was accurate.

Anyway, the next story will DEFINITELY be the last part in my little saga and should answer all the questions you have. Please, review and tell me what you think so far. Please, I want to hear from as many readers as possible.

NOT IN THE FACE!


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